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CHURCH   POLITY. 


A     TREATISE 


CHRISTIAN    CHURCHES 


THE  CHRISTIAN  MINISTRY. 


HENRY  J.   RIPLEY, 

LATE    PROFESSOR   OF    SACRED    RHETORIC    AND    PASTORAL 
DUTIES,  IN   NEWTON  THEOLOGICAI^  INSTITUTION, 
AND    AUTHOR    OF    NOTES    ON    THE    GOS- 
PELS,    THE    ACTS,    ETC. 


>>^o 


BOSTON : 

GRAVES     &     YOUXG- 

1867. 


^J^S^ 


Entered  according'  to  Act  of  Congress  in  the  year  18(57,  by 

GRAVES    &    YOUNG, 

In  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  tlie  District  of  Massachusetts. 


TO  THE  PAST  AND  PRESENT  MEMBERS 


Newton   Theological  Institution, 

THIS    VOLUME,    AS    AN    EXPRESSION    OF    ITS    AUTHOR's 
FRATERNAL    INTEREST    IN    THEIR    USEFUL- 
NESS   AND    WELFARE, 

IS  affectionately  dedicated. 


,r^^^ 


PREFACE 


It  Is  the  aim  of  this  volume,  as  it  was  of  the  Lec- 
tures to  theological  students,  in  which  it  originated, 
to  present  the  scriptural  view  of  the  subject  of  which 
it  treats. 

It  does  not  propose  to  advocate  certain  ecclesiastical 
usages,  or  to  expound  the  church-polity  of  any  partic- 
ular denomination  of  Christians.  If  its  views  are 
more  in  harmony  with  those  of  any  one  denomination 
than  of  another,  this  can  be  traced  to  a  better  source 
than  to  any  predilection  which  its  author  may  be  sup- 
posed to  have  for  a  certain  part  of  the  Christian  broth- 
erhood. It  would,  however,  be  idle  in  him  to  profess 
an  entire  exemption  from  such  a  bias  ;  for,  however 
candid  any  one  may  endeavor  to  be,  he  may  be  uncon- 
sciously influenced  by  pre-possession. 

It  may  be  thought  a  deficiency,  that  this  volume 
ignores,  to  so  great  an  extent,  the  existence  of  variant 
denominations  of  Christians.  This,  however,  results 
(5) 


D  PREFACE.  ^^^^^ 

from  the  main  idea  of  the  work  ;  namely,  the  scrip- 
tm'al,  or  New  Testament,  view  of  the  subject,  as  is 
shown  in  the  Introduction.  Yet  it  was  hardly  possible, 
in  treating  some  topics,  wholly  to  avoid  mentioning 
denominations,  or  very  distinctly  alluding  to  their  sen- 
timents and  usages. 

On  the  same  ground,  objections  against  any  existing 
modes  of  conducting  church-affairs  were  deemed  un- 
necessary. They  are,  for  the  most  part,  quite  unprofit- 
able ;  for  almost  everything  is  open  to  some  objection. 
It  is,  generally,  best  to  present  positive  views  of  a 
subject,  when  such  are  attainable,  with  their  proper 
accompaniments  and  modifications,  and  leave  them  to 
their  legitimate  influence  in  gaining  sway. 


CONTENTS. 


Introduction         .  .  .         .         .         .  .11 

PART    FIRST.  — CHRISTIAN    CHURCHES. 

CHAPTER   I. 
Scriptural  Idea  of  a  Church  .         .  .         •     ^7 

CHAPTER  II. 

Organization  of  the  earhest  Churches  .  .     37 

CHAPTER   III. 
Duties  and   Power  of  Church-Officers.  —  Power 

of  Churches  .  .  .         .  .        _.     52 

CHAPTER  IV. 

Membership  in  a  Church  .          .          .          •     7^ 

Church-Membership  a  Duty  .         .         .          .71 

Admission  to  Membership  .         .         .         -73 

(7) 


b  CONTENTS. 

Mutual  Relation  of  Members  of  a  Church,  and 

Duties  springing  from  that  relation        .  .      78 

Termination  of  IMembershIp  in  a  Church     .  .     80 

CHAPTER  V. 

Mutual  Relation  of  Churches.  —  Associations  of 

Churches.  —  Ecclesiastical  Councils      .  .     92 

PART   SECOND.  — THE   CHRISTIAN  MINISTRY. 

CHAPTER  I. 

Divine  Appointment  of  the  Christian  Ministry     .   iii 

CHAPTER  n. 
Difterent  Classes  of  Ministers         .         .         .         116 

CHAPTER    III. 
Mutual  Relation  of  Ministers  .         .  .  127 

CHAPTER    IV. 

Distinctive  Province  of  Ministers         .  .  .132 

CHAPTER  V. 
Introduction  to  the  Ministry  ....   152 


CONTENTS. 


APPENDIX. 


I.     On    the   practical     distinction    between 

churches  and  other  bodies         .  .169 

II.     The  Jewish    synagogues,  as  influencing 

the  form  of  Christian   churches  .  '173 

III.  Examination   of   i   Timothy  iii.   11,  on 

the  question  of  Deaconesses         .  '   ^75 

IV.  On  the  Origin  and  Settlement  of  Offices 

in    churches  during  the  Apostolic  age, 
as  represented  by  various  writers         .   177 
V.     Whether  there  was  an  aristocratic  ele- 
ment in  the  government  of  the  earliest 
churches    .  .  .  .  .  -   ^^3 

VI.     Examination  of  Acts  xiv.  23,  "  When 

they  had  ordained,"  &c        .  .  .185 

VII.     Church-government,  as  compared  with 

forms  of  civil  government  .  .187 

VIII.     Whether  the  original  mode  of    church- 
action  is  to  be  retained         .  .  .189 
IX.     Views    of    church-historians     respecting 

the  earliest    churches  .  .  .191 


lO  CONTENTS.      .j|^^ 

X.     On    the    simplicity  of    requisites,  orig- 
inally, for  Church-membership    .  -194 
XL     On    the    early  departure  from    church- 
independence       .         .         .          .  '194 
XII.     Theory  of  denominational  diversity        .  202 

XIII.  Practical  hints  in  regard  to  ecclesiastical 

councils  203 

XIV.  On    Neander's   view   of    the    Christian 

ministry 204 

XV.  Women  endowed  with  the  prophetic 
gift.  —  Women,  in  reference  to  ad- 
dressing promiscuous  religious  assem- 
blies   207 

XVI.     Testimonies  to  the  original    identity  of 

presbyters  and  bishops         .  .  .211 

XVII.     Change  in  the  mutual  relation  of  min- 
isters after  the  time  of  the  apostles      .   214 

XVIII.     Administration   of    baptism   by   others 

than  ministers     .....   222 
XIX.     Administration   of  the    Lord's   supper, 
whether  belonging  distinctively  to  the 
office  of  a  minister      ....  224 


INTRODUCTION. 


IN  examining  the  Scriptures  on  the  topics  embraced 
by  Church  Pohty,  we   shall  not  find  such  copious- 
ness of  information  and  definiteness  of  statement,  as 
even  a  reasonable  curiosity  might  desire.     Matters  of 
organization  and  business  detail  were  not  held,  in  the 
apostles'  times,  of  so  much  importance,  comparatively, 
as  to  secure  full  and  particular  information  respecting 
them.      We    are    restricted    to    the    meagre   historic 
records  in  the  New  Testament,  and  to  its   incidental 
notices  of  business-transactions,  as  the  materials  for  our 
conclusions.     Some  of  the  historic  notices  are  so  brief, 
as  to  be  justly  liable  to  variety  of  interpretation  ;  and 
yet,  a  comparison  of  such  notices  with  more  detailed 
accounts,  either  of  the  same,  or  of  similar,  affairs,  may 
lead  us  to  a  satisfactory  conclusion  as  to  their  proper 
meaning,   and    may   render  various   notices   mutually 
harmonious.      The  accounts   which   we  possess    are, 


12  INTRODUCTION.    ^ 

when  viewed  conjointly,  and  especially  when  viewed 
in  the  light  of  a  true  idea  of  a  church,  sufficient  in 
number  and  particularity  of  detail,  to  inform  us  re- 
specting the  two  branches  of  Church  Polity ;  in  other 
words,  to  teach  us  the  principles  on  which  the  forma- 
tion, government,  and  business  action  of  the  earliest 
churches  proceeded,  and  to  teach  us  the  duties,  powers, 
and  relations  of  the  Christian  ministry.  The  princi- 
ples which  appear  to  have  regulated,  at  the  earliest 
times,  these  two  constituents  of  Church  Polity,  are 
but  few :  a  correct  apprehension  of  them,  however, 
and  of  their  mutual  connections  and  necessary  conse- 
quences is  sufficient  to  guide  the  people  of  Christ. 

The  New  Testament  furnishes  us  with  the  requisite 
materials  for  a  system  ;  so  that  we  can  ascertain,  with 
a  good  degree  of  completeness,  what  may  be  called 
the  norinal  state  of  a  Christian  church. 

As  so  many  diverse  modes  of  organization  and 
action  now  exist,  and  the  most  honest  inquirer  may 
be  reasonably  perplexed  in  regard  to  their  conflicting 
claims,  the  normal  state  of  a  Christian  church,  if  it 
can  be  ascertained,  would  enable  us  to  judge  respect- 
ing the  authority,  or  propriety,  of  those  diverse  modes, 
and  relieve  us  from  the  necessity  of  entering  into  con- 


-^^p-^y     INTRODUCTION.  1 3 

troversy  respecting  any  of  them.  A  correct  view  of 
the  normal  state  would,  also,  prepare  us  to  dispose,  in 
as  wise  a  manner  as  possible,  of  some  practical  ques- 
tions which  originate  from  those  diverse  modes,  and 
which  require  even  the  normal  state  to  put  itself  into 
a  somewhat  questionable  attitude,  when  the  purpose 
is  to  act  in  a  spirit  of  accommodation  to  the  abnormal 
states  which  have  come  into  being.  Such  a  view 
would  also  convince  us  that  various  questions,  occa- 
sioned by  departures  from  the  normal  state,  must  not 
expect  a  perfectly  satisfactory  answer ;  but  that,  as 
matters  are  now  situated  in  Christendom,  it  will  be 
necessary  on  some  occasions  to  select  a  course  which 
appears  on  the  whole  the  most  expedient :  that  is,  the 
course  which  interferes  the  least  with  acknowledged 
scriptural  principles,  since  any  course  which  may  be 
taken  will  involve  some  interference  with  such  prin- 
ciples. 

The  aim,  therefore,  of  this  work  is,  to  obtain  a  view 
of  the  normal  state  of  Christian  churches,  by  consider- 
ing scriptural  statements  and  the  necessary  deductions 
from  them,  without  paying  particular  regard  to  the 
views  and  practices  of  any  denomination  of  Christians. 
Consequently,  it  does  not  directly  controvert  any  exist- 


14  INTRODUCTION.  .;. 

ing  modes  of  church  organization  and  government 
which  yet  may  be  at  variance  with  the  original  mode  ; 
nor  does  it  attempt  to  answer  questions  that  may 
arise  from  the  abnormal  states  which  have  become 
established. 

In  accordance  with  its  aim,  it  does  not  furnish  di- 
rections for  matters  of  church  business :  yet  it  could 
hardly  be  otherwise  than  that,  on  some  of  the  topics 
introduced,  modes  of  action  would  be  indicated. 


PART   FIRST. 

CHRISTIAN     CHURCHES. 


(15) 


CHURCH     POLITY. 


PART  FIRST.  —  CHRISTIAN   CHURCHES. 


CHAPTER  I. 

SCRIPTURAL    IDEA    OF   A    CHURCH. 

§  l7nportance  of  this  topic.  —  In  investigating  the 
constitution,  government,  and  appropriate  sphere  of 
churches,  the  scriptural  idea  of  a  church,  or  rather  the 
idea  as  presented  in  the  New  Testament,  is  a  topic  of 
primary  importance.  The  view  taken  of  a  church, 
will,  of  necessity,  influence  to  a  great  extent  our  views 
of  the  nature  and  sphere  of  church-action  and  of  the 
nature  and  duties  of  the  ministerial  office. 

The  church-history  of  the  first  three  centuries  shows 
how  vitally  important  is  a  correct  view  of  a  Christian 
church  as  to  its  membership  and  design,  and  of  the 
ordinances  of  Christianity  as  related  to   church-mem- 

2*  (I7> 


l8  CHURCH    POLITY. 

bership.  The  externalism  which  marked  the  great 
body  of  professed  Christians,  not  long  after  the  apos- 
tolic age,  was  largely  due  to  erroneous  views  of  the 
nature,  design  and  province  of  a  church,  since  correct 
views  of  these  involve  correct  view^s  of  Christianity 
itself.  Departures  from  the  purity  and  simplicity  of 
apostolic  •  practice  on  these  points  had  a  disastrous 
influence  on  questions  pertaining  directly  to  personal 
salvation,  and  thus  sapped  the  foundations  of  genuine 
godliness.  Had  apostolic  purity  and  simplicity,  as  to 
the  nature  of  a  Christian  church  and  as  to  connection 
with  it,  been  retained  among  those  who,  after  the 
Apostles'  times,  became  teachers  and  guides  in  the 
Christian  community,  a  strong,  and,  we  may  believe, 
effectual  guard  w^ould  have  defended  the  doctrines  of 
regeneration  by  the  Holy  Spirit  and  justification  by 
faith  in  Christ.  But  when  the  opinion  had  become 
rooted,  that  external  union  with  the  church  is  the 
medium  of  union  with  Christ  as  the  Head  of  the 
Church,  and  consequently,  since  this  union  with  the 
church  was  effected  by  baptism,  that  baptism  is  essen- 
tial to  salvation  ;  this  unscriptural  view  of  the  nature 
and  design  of  a  church,  —  making  things  primary 
which    are  only  secondary,  making   form  antecedent, 


CHRISTIAN    CHURCHES.  I9 

and  essential,  to  spirit,  dissevering  the  natural  connec- 
tion of  fountain  and  stream,  —  this  unscriptural  view 
opened  the  door  for  all  sorts  of  corruption. 

The  experience  of  the  apostolic  age  and  of  all  sub- 
sequent ages  goes  to  sustain  the  importance  of  properly 
guarding  church-membershi^o :  in  other  w^ords,  of 
forming  and  maintaining  a  scriptural  idea  of  a  Chris- 
tian church. 

Without  purjDosing  to  examine  the  controversies 
which  have  divided  Christians  on  the  subject  of  this 
chapter,  let  it  suffice  merely  to  exhibit  the  results  to 
which  an  examination  of  the  Scriptures  conducts. 

§  A  difficulty  at  the  outset  of  the  inquiry.  —  At 
entering  on  this  subject,  we  encounter  in  the  present 
day  a  difficulty  arising  from  the  numerous  divisions 
among  the  professed  followers  of  Christ.  The  word 
church  is  often  used  in  ordinary  writings  and  conver- 
sation with  the  same  meaning  as  the  word  denomina- 
tion,,  signifying  the  collective  body  of  those  who  unite 
in  certain  religious  opinions  and  practices  ;  as  for  in- 
stance, the  Episcopal  church,  the  Presbyterian  churcli, 
the  Methodist  church.     The  term  Baptist  church  is 


20  CHURCH    POLITY. 

also  sometimes  used  in  the  same  manner  ;  improperly, 
however,  and  not  often  by  persons  who  belong  to  the 
denomination  thus  designated  and  who  rightly  appre- 
hend its  distinctive  principles  ;  since  Baptist  churches 
are  not  united  together  by  adherence  to  any  human 
ecclesiastical  body.  This  remark  might  also  be  made 
concerning  the  Congregational  churches  in  New  Eng- 
land ;  for  they  are  individually  distinct  and  indepen- 
dent, not  holding  allegiance  to  any  central  body.* 

A  use  of  the  word  thus  synonymous  with  the  term 
de7io77iinatio7i  has,  of  course,  no  authority  from  the 
Scriptures ;  for  in  the  age  when  the  books  of  the  New 
Testament  were  written  the  Saviour's  followers  were 
not  divided  into  such  sections,  and  the  principles 
which  are  involved  in  such  divisions  were  not  subjects 
of  controversy. 

*  If  the  Congregational  churches  may  be  thought  by  some 
to  pay  an  undue  deference  to  certain  human  standards  of 
church  polity  and  doctrine,  and  to  accord  a  degree  of  control 
to  such  standards,  and  thus  to  have  impaired  their  claim  to 
independency,  it  should  be  remembered  that  these  very  stand- 
ards distinctly  recognize  the  separate  existence  and  the  inde- 
pendence of  these  churches ;  and  that  these  standards  are 
regarded  rather  as  venerable  documents,  than  as  authoritative. 


STIAN    CHURCHES.  21 

In  considering  the  question  before  us,  we  must  trans- 
port ourselves  back  to  the  very  earliest  age  of  Chris- 
tianity, and  endeavor  to  place  ourselves  in  the  position 
of  those  individuals  and  communities  who  enjoyed 
the  presence  and  labors  of  the  Apostles,  and  to  whom 
the  Apostles  wrote  ;  just  as  we  ought  in  investigating 
any  religious  subject  which  depends  on  the  Scriptures. 

§  Threefold  signification  of  the  word  church  in 
the  New  Testament.  —  An  examination  of  the  New 
Testament  use  of  the  original  word  translated  churchy 
will  result  in  affixing  to  it  a  threefold  signification. 

Its  use  throughout,  it  may  be  well  to  remark,  in- 
volves the  idea  conveyed  by  its  two  etymological 
elements,!  namely,  to  call  out  of.,  or  from.,  to  sum- 
mon;  and  as  a  collection  of  people  called  oztt  from 
among  their  fellow-citizens,  or  the  whole  body  of  citi- 
zens called  out  to  one  place,  summoned  together., 
compose  an  assembly,  so  the  idea,  variously  modified, 
of  an  assembly,  is  inherent  in  the  word. 

Its  threefold  signification  may  be  conveniently  ex- 
hibited as  follows : 

§   I .  It  is  equivalent  to  our  word  assembly^  or  con- 

t  A  Greek  verb  meaning  to  call,  and  a  preposition,  out  of. 


22  CHURCH    POT.IT-?^. 

gregatio7i ;  and  the  assembly  thus  denoted  may  be  a 
civil  or  a  religious  one,  an  orderly  or  a  disorderly  one. 
It  is  used  in  this  general  sense  in  Acts  vii.  38,  "  This 
is  he  that  was  in  the  church  in  the  wilderness.'*  Here 
the  entire  people  of  the  Hebrews  assembled,  congre- 
gated, in  the  Arabian  desert,  are  spoken  of. 

In  Hebrews  ii.  12,  "  In  the  midst  of  the  church  will 
I  sing  praise  unto  thee"  —  the  term  is  also  equivalent 
to  assembly^  or  congregation^  as  appears  from  com- 
paring this  verse  with  Psalm  xxii.  23,  "  In  the  midst 
of  the  co77gregation  will  I  praise  thee."  The  clause 
in  the  epistle  to  the  Hebrews  is  a  verbal  quotation 
from  the  Septuagint  Greek  translation  of  the  original 
Hebrew  verse. 

In  Acts  xix.  32,  39,  41,  the  original  term  elsewhere 
translated  church  is  used  in  application  to  the  tumult- 
uous assemblage  of  the  idolatrous  Ephesians,  and  is 
properly  translated,  in  our  version,  assembly.  The 
original  word,  it  is  clear  from  these  verses,  might 
designate  an  assembly  however  convened,  whether  in 
an  orderly  and  legal  manner,  or  tumultuously. 

In  this  sense,  too,  the  word  is  used  when  mention  is 
made  of  a  church  in  a  certain  man's  house.  See 
Rom.  xvi.  5,  I.  Cor.  xvi.   19,  Col.  iv.  15,  Philemon,  3. 


CHRISTIAN    CHURCHES.  33 

In  the  first  two  of  these  passages,  the  context  and 
the  circumstances  of  the  case  make  it  highly  probable 
that  the  term  designated  a  company,  larger  or  smaller, 
of  Christians  who  were  in  the  habit  of  assembling  for 
religious  instruction  and  worship  at  such  a  house,  it 
being  applicable  to  a  company,  large  or  small ;  and 
hence,  to  the  entire  Christian  company  in  a  city  or  to 
a  jDortion  of  it.  Thus  in  i  Cor.  xvi.  19,  20,  after  the 
mention  of  Aquila  and  Priscilla  and  the  chiircJi  in 
their  house,  all  the  brethren,  probably  the  church  as  a 
body,  are  mentioned.  So  in  Rom.  xvi.  5,  mention  is 
made  of  the  church  in  the  house  of  Priscllla  and 
Aquila,  just  as  in  i  Cor.  xvi.  19.  Both  at  Rome, 
then,  wdiere  Priscilla  and  Aquila,  were  when  the 
epistle  was  sent  to  the  Romans,  and  at  Ephesus  where 
they  were  when  Paul  sent  from  that  city  (i  Cor.  xvi. 
8.)  their  salutations  to  the  Corinthians,  they  had  a 
church  in  their  house.  It  would  seem,  that  as  business 
called  them  from  city  to  city,  they  were  in  the  habit  of 
holding  religious  meetings ;  and  the  company  which 
usually  repaired  to  their  houses  for  worship  were 
meant  in  these  salutations. 

This  explanation  may  be  proper  for  the  other  two 
passages  in  which  this  phrase  occurs  ;  though  in  these 


24  CHURCH    POLITY. 

it  is  not  accompanied  with  such  a  statement  of  circum- 
stances as  to  suggest  any  explanation.* 

In  the  life  of  Justin  Martyr  t  was  an  incident  which 
illustrates  this  case.  When  under  examination  by  the 
Roman  prefect,  Justin  was  asked  where  the  Christians 
assembled.  He  replied,  '  Not  in  any  one  place  ;  but 
wherever  they  are  able,  or  inclined,  to  meet ;  and  if 
any  chose  to  come  to  me  I  communicated  to  him  the 
words  of  truth.'  It  seems  to  have  been  his  practice, 
during  his  temporary  sojourn  in  cities,  to  receive,  as  a 
Christian  philosopher,  companies  for  religious  instruc- 
tion and  worship.  Such  companies  would  be,  accord- 
ing to  the  Scriptural  mode  of  speaking,  churches  in 
Justin's  house. 

§  2.  The  word  church  designates  a  particular  as- 
sembly of  believers  in  Christ  associated  together  as 
his  disciples  ;  that  is,  in  ordinary  phrase,  some  partic- 
ular church,  as,  for  instance,  the  church  in  Ephesus,  or 
in  Corinth.     This  is  its  most  usual  signification  in  the 

*For  the  view  presented  in  the  above  paragraph,  I  am  in- 
debted to  Neander's  Church  History.  See  Torrej's  Trans- 
lation, Vol.  I,  page  290. 

fActa  Martjrii  S.  Justini  et  Sociorum.  §  3. 


CHRISTIAN    CHURCHES.  25 

JsFew  Testament.  See  as  instances  i  Cor.  I.  3,  "  The 
church  of  God  which  is  in  Corinth;"  i  Thcss.  i.  i, 
*'  The  church  of  the  Thessalonians  ;  "  Acts  viii.  i,  and 
xi.  23,  "  The  church  which  was  at  Jerusalem." 

In  this  sense  the  word  is  used  in  the  plural  number  ; 
as  in  Acts  ix.  31,  "  Then  had  the  churches  rest 
throughout  all  Judea  and  Galilee  and  Samaria."  So 
in  Acts  XV.  41,  Paul  is  spoken  of  as  travelling  through 
Syria  and  Cilicia,  "  confirming  the  churches,"  the 
various  bodies  of  believers  that  had  been  formed  in 
those  provinces.  In  writing  also  to  the  Galatian  be- 
lievers, as  Galatia  was  a  province  in  which  were 
several  bodies  of  believers,  he  addressed  his  epistle  to 
"  the  churches  in  Galatia."  Gal.  i.  3.  In  like  manner 
we  read  of  "the  churches  of  Asia,"  i  Cor.  xvi.  19, 
"  the  churches  of  Macedonia,"  3  Cor.  viii.  i,  "  the 
churches  of  the  Gentiles,"  Rom.  xvi.  4 ;  and  "  all  the 
churches,"  i  Cor.  vii.  17.  The  equivalent  expression, 
"  in  every  church,"  occurs,  also,  in  i  Cor.  4.  17,  and 
in  I  Cor.  xiv.  23,  the  phrase  "  the  whole  church,"  is 
applied  to  a  particular  community  of  Christians. 

§  3.  It   designates   the   followers  of   Christ  viewed 
collectively^  as    separate    from   the  world  in  religious 
3 


26  CHURCH    POLITY. 

respects,  and  united  among  themselves  by  faith  in 
Christ  and  the  hope  of  salvation. 

This  collective  sense  of  the  word  is  sometimes  ap- 
plied to  the  visible  body  of  Christ's  followers,  that  is, 
to  the  professed  followers  of  Christ,  as  a  whole ; 
though  more  frequently  to  the  truly  spiritual  disciples 
of  Christ,  viewed  collectively  as  sustaining  a  common 
relation  to  Christ,  their  spiritual  head. 

In  this  collective  meaning  as  applied  to  the  visible 
company  of  Christ's  followers,  it  occurs  in  i  Cor.  xii. 
28,  "  God  hath  set  some  in  the  church.''  In  the  same 
sense,  the  apostle  speaks  of  himself  in  i  Cor.  xv.  9, 
and  Gal.  i.  13,  as  having  "persecuted  the  church  of 
God."  So  in  Rom.  xvi.  23,  he  speaks  of  Gains  as 
"host  of  the  whole  church  ; "  that  is,  of  Christians  in 
general,  of  all  bearing  the  Christian  name,  to  whom, 
coming  from  various  quarters,  he  had  opportunities 
of  showing  hospitality.  In  i  Tim.  iii.  15,  also,  "  the 
church  of  the  living  God "  is  the  wide-spread  com- 
munity in  which  the  service  of  Timothy  was  to  be 
rendered. 

In  this  collective  sense  and  with  reference  to  spirit- 
ual  union  with  Christ,  the  word  is  used  in  Eph.  i.  22, 
where   Christ  is  called  "  the  head  over  all  things  to 


CHRISTIAN    CHURCH. 


27 


the  church  which  is  his  body."  The  same  idea  is 
'.\\  At  on  by  the  apostle  in  the  fifth  chapter  of  this 
j.jistlj,  and  the  word  is  used  repeatedly  with  the  same 
significatioii  in  verses  23-33,  "  Christ  is  the  head  of 
the  church  ;  the  church  is  subject  unto  Christ ;  Christ 
loved  the  church." 

The  connection  in  which  the  word  stands,  will 
generally  decide  whether  the  visible  community  of 
professed  Christians  is  intended,  or  the  company  of 
genuine  followers  of  Christ,  his  spiritual  body. 

§  T/ic  Jirst  and  the  thii'd  of  these  signijications 
not  included  in  the  scofe  of  this  zvork. — With  the 
word  as  used  in  the  first  of  these  three  significations, 
we  are  not  at  jDresent  concerned.  The  third  may 
also  be  laid  aside,  because  it  contemplates  the  followers 
of  Christ  without  reference  to  any  external  organiza- 
tion, but  according  to  the  mental  conception  of  an 
indefinitely  large  company  avowing  subjection  to 
Christ. 

§  The  idea  of  a  general  chu}'ch-oiga7iization  not 
fottnd  in  the  New  Testament.  —  It  maybe  well,  at 
this  point,  to  remark  that  the  idea  of  an  organized 
general  church,  composed  of,  or  embracing  in   its  or- 


25  CHURCH    POLITY. 

ganization  and  government,  or  representing,  many 
separate,  or  individual,  churches,  does  not  occur  in  the 
New  Testament.  Neither  the  idea  of  a  p7'ovincial 
church,  embracing  all  the  individual  churches  in  a 
province  united  and  represented  by  a  select  body  of 
men,  however  appointed,  having  ecclesiastical  authority 
over  the  province,  a  synod  for  instance  ;  nor  that  of  a 
national  church,  similarly  viewe4  as  embracing  all 
the  individual  churches  in  a  nation,  and  similarly  rep- 
resented by  a  certain  body  of  men,  or  by  a  certain 
man,  the  king,  perhaps,  of  the  nation  ;  nor  that  of  a 
church  U7iiversal^  combining  all  the  churches  in  the 
world,  and  represented  by  a  body  of  men,  as  a  coun- 
cil of  cardinals,  or  by  one  man,  as  the  pope ;  neither 
of  these  ideas  finds  a  parallel,  or  receives  countenance, 
in  the  New  Testament. 

The  current  use  of  the  term  church  in  the  New 
Testament  relates  to  the  individual,  separate  bodies  of 
Christians,  each  of  which  is  treated  as  in  itself  a  com- 
plete church. 

§  What  is  a  church?  —  We  are,  then,  in  seeking 
the  scriptural  idea  of  a  church,  limited  to  the  second 
of  the  three  senses  in  which  the  term  occurs  ;  and  the 


CHRISTIAN    CHURCHES.  29 

inquiry  arises,  What  was  the  body  which  is  denomi- 
nated in  the  New  Testament  a  church?  What,  for 
instance,  was  the  body  which  was  called  the  church  in 
Jerusalem,  or  in  Antioch,  or  in  Ephesus? 

An  accurate  and  complete  idea  of  a  church,  derived 
from  the  specimens  in  the  New  Testament,  may  be 
expressed  in  the  following  description  :  A  Christian 
church  is  an  association  of  believers  in  Christ,  who 
have  been  baptized  on  a  profession  of  their  faith  in 
him,  and  who,  by  their  voluntary  consent,  yet  in  sub- 
jection to  the  will  of  Christ,  whose  authority  each 
member  acknowledges,  have  united  for  the  observance 
and  maintenance  of  the  Christian  religion,  their  mutual 
spiritual  benefit,  and  the  extension  of  the  gospel  as  a 
converting  and  saving  power. 

If  we  seek  for  a  brief  definition,  the  following  is, 
perhaps,  as  free  from  liability  to  exce^Dtion  as  can  be 
expected :  A  Christian  church  is  an  association  of 
believers  in  Christ  for  the  observance,  the  maintenance, 
and  the  extension  of  the  Christian  religion. 

In    attempting,    however,  to    express  in    words    the 
New  Testament  conception  of  a   church,  such   a  de- 
scription as  is  above  given,  is  preferable  to  any  defini- 
tion :  for,  however  true  a  definition  may  be,  as  under- 
3* 


30  CHURCH    POLITY.  ^ 

stood  by  one  who  frames  or  adopts  it,  it  is  capable  of 
being  variously  understood,  according  to  a  person's 
own  views  of  any  items  mentioned  in  it.  Take,  for 
instance,  the  nineteenth  article  in  the  creed  of  the 
English  Episcopal  Church,  in  the  following  words : 
"  The  visible  church  of  Christ  is  a  con^reo^ation  of 
faithful  men,  in  which  the  pure  word  of  God  is 
preached,  and  the  sacraments  be  duly  ministered  ac- 
cording to  Christ's  ordinance."  Here  the  statement 
concerning  the  sacraments  is  strictly  correct ;' but  as 
diverse  views  are  held  in  regard  to  what  is  the  due 
administration  of  the  sacraments,  and  what  is  Chrisfs 
ordinance  respecting  them,  this  definition  can  never 
show  whether  a  church  is  to  consist  of  avowed  be- 
lievers onl}',  or  may  also  comprise  other  persons ;  or 
rather,  whether  the  sacraments  are  to  be  administered 
to  believers  only,  or  also  to  others.* 

*  The  framers  of  the  English  Episcopal  creed,  as  well  as 
those  of  other  creeds  of  a  nearly  contemporaneous  date,  in- 
troduced in  this  article  the  mention  of  the  preaching  of  the 
word  of  God  and  the  administration  of  the  sacraments,  in 
order,  as  is  represented  by  a  very  intelligent  writer  in  the 
Christian  Review,  Vol.  xvii,  pp.  59,60,  to  avoid  the  infer- 
ence naturally  flowing  from  the  first  item   in  the   definition 


CHRISTIAN    CHURCHES.  3 1 

§  Items  in  the  desci'iption  examined.  —  Let  iis 
now  return  to  the  description,  and  examine  its  several 
items. 

I.  The  persons  composing  a  church  are  behievers  in 
Clu-ist. 

When  we  transport  ourselves  back  to  the  origin, 
and  earliest  history  of  the  Christian  religion,  a  ditfer- 
ent  view  is  evidently  preposterous. 

The  terms  in  the  opening  passages  of  the  epistles  to 
churches,  descriptive  of  members,  i-equire  the  state- 
ment in  this  item.  In  Romans  i.  7,  the  persons  ad- 
dressed are  "  beloved  of  God,  called  tg  be  saints  ;  "  in 
I  Cor.  i.  2,  "  the  church  of  God,  sanctified  in  Christ 
Jesus,  called  to  be  saints;"  in  Eph.  i.  i,  "the  saints, 
.  .  .  and  the  faithful  in  Christ  Jesus ;  "  in  Phil.  i. 
I,  "  saints  in  Christ  Jesus  ;  "  in  Col.  i.  3,  "  saints  and 
faithful  brethren  in  Christ  Jesus."     Compare,  also,  for 

that  none  but  believers  [faithful  men]  are  to  be  held  mem- 
bers of  a  church,  and  to  confirm  the  idea  that  the  distinguish- 
ing marks  of  a  church  of  Christ,  are  the  preaching  of  the 
word,  and  the  administration  of  the  sacraments;  so  that  if 
these  last  are  found  in  a  community,  they  are  sufficient  to 
denominate  it  a  church  of  Christ,  irrespectively  of  the  spir- 
itual qualifications  for  membership. 


32  CHURCH    POLITY.  -"^"^'f'^*^, 

terms  of  much  particularity  and  discrimination,  i 
Thess.  i.  2-5,  and  2  Thess.  i.  3,  4. 

Again,  the  gospel  at  the  very  first,  required  all  to 
become  personally  followers  of  Christ :  no  others,  of 
course,  could  be  held  suitable  for  connection  with  a 
church  of  Christ. 

Moreover,  faith  in  Christ  is  the  distinctive  principle 
of  the  Christian  religion.  Those  who  in  any  place,  at 
first  became  united  as  a  church,  or  subsequently  con- 
nected themselves  with  it,  did  so  as  having,  become 
believers  in  Christ,  as  being  no  longer  adherents  to 
any  pagan  religion,  or  to  the  religion  of  Moses  when 
that  was  viewed  distinctively  from  the  religion  of 
Christ.     They  were  distinctively  Christians. 

2.  They  have  been  baptized  on  a  profession  of  faith 
in  Christ. 

Baptism  in  the  name  of  Christ  was  enjoined  on  all 
who  received  his  religion.  It  was  the  public  act  which 
designated  them  as  Christians ;  and  without  this  a 
person  would  not,  originally,  be  taken  for  a  follower 
of  Christ. 

More  particularly,  our  Lord's  commission  to  his 
apostles,  as  given  in  Matt,  xxviii.  19,  20,  and  in  Mark 
xvi.  15,  16,  enjoined  the  duty  of  baptizing  those  who 
should  embrace  his  religion. 


CHRISTIAN   CHURCHES.  33 

The  apostles,  in  accordance  with  their  commission, 
baptized  those  who  received  their  teachings.  See 
Acts  ii.  41  ;  X.  47,48  ;  xvi.  14,  15,  31-34,  xviii.  8.  The 
strict  regard  which  they  paid  to  this  part  of  their  com- 
mission, as  well  as  to  the  duty  of  teaching  the  dis- 
tinctive principles  of  their  Lord's  religion,  is  specially 
manifest  in  Acts  xix.  1-5,  which  passage  relates  that, 
on  the  occasion  of  the  apostle  Paul's  meeting  with 
certain  disciples  whom  he  could  not  recognize  as  duly 
baptized,  he  at  once  made  provision  for  their  receiving 
the  Christian  ordinance. 

The  epistles,  also,  addressed  to  primitive  church- 
members  make  distinct  mention  of  their  having  been 
baptized  as  believers  in  Christ.  See  Rom.  vi.  3,  4 ; 
Gal.  iii.  27  ;  Col.  ii.  11,  13  ;   i  Pet.  iii.  21. 

3.  They  are  associated  together  for  the  observance 
and  maintenance  of  the  Christian  religion,  their  mu- 
tual spiritual  benefit,  and  the  extension  of  the  gospel. 

This  is  evident  from  the  record  in  the  early  chap- 
ters of  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles  concerning  the  primi- 
tive Christians  in  Jerusalem  ;  also,  from  the  conduct 
of  the  apostles  and  other  leaders  of  the  churches  as 
described  in  the  Acts  generally ;  and  from  the  familiar 
comparison,  in  Rom.    xii.  4,  6  ;  i  Cor.  xii.  Eph.  ii. 


34  CHURCH    POLITY.  ^^.J^Ml^  i 

20-23;  iv.  11-16,  of  associated  Christian  believers  to 
a  body,  all  the  members  of  which  act  harmoniously 
for  mutual  personal  benefit,  for  the  general  good  of 
the  body,  and  for  efficient  activity  in  extending  beyond 
its  own  limits  the  knowledge  and  influence  of  the 
Christian  religion. 

4.  Union  with  a  church  was  voluntary,  yet  in  obe- 
dience to  the  will  of  Christ. 

The  voluntary  character  of  this  union  is  an  evident 
result  from  the  first  and  third  of  these  items.  Besides, 
compulsion  is  abhorrent  to  the  spirit  of  the  religion, 
and  was  utterly  incompatible  with  the  circumstances 
of  its  early  times.  No  compulsion  to  embrace  and 
profess  it  could  exist,  but  that  of  conscientious  con- 
viction, and  of  decided  attachment  to  Christ.* 

§  Neither  removal  of  a7iy  of  these  f  articular s  nor 
addition  to  them,  —  None  of  the  particulars  comprised 
in  the  description  can  be  removed  from  it,  without  so 
far  detracting  from  the  scriptural  idea  of  a  Christian 
church.     Thus,  if  the  requisition  of  being  believers 

*  The  proof  of  its  being  the  Saviour's  will  that  believers 
should  thus  associate,  and  consequently,  that  their  voluntary 
consent  to  this  union  is  in  subordination  to  his  will,  is  re- 
served for  chapter  IV. 


CHRISTIAN   CHURCHES.  35 

in  Christ  be  removed,  the  body  called  a  church  is,  or 
is  inevitably  liable  to  become,  essentially  defective. 
If  the  fact  of  having  been  baptized  on  a  profession 
of  faith  in  Christ  be  removed,  there  is  a  defect  in  the 
outward  constitutional  form  of  the  body ;  it  is  incom- 
plete ;  it  does  not  fully  agree  with  the  New  Testament 
specimens.  If  any  one  of  the  purposes  for  which  the 
association  was  formed  be  removed,  there,  too,  is  de- 
fect. And  the  same  remark  is  applicable,  if  the  vol- 
untary connection  with  the  body  be  removed  from  the 
characteristics  of  a  church,  and  union  with  it  be  re- 
garded as  resulting,  not  from  personal  choice,  but  from 
parentage,  or  from  one's  national,  or  civil,  relations. 

Nor  can  any  particulars  not  included  in  the  descrip- 
tion be  properly  and  safely  added,  as  necessary  to  the 
idea  of  a  church.  All  appendages  which  are  not  con- 
tained in  the  scriptural  view,  however  adapted  they 
may  appear  to  the  gaining  of  certain  objects,  whether 
personal  or  public,  will  be  found,  on  sufficiently  long 
trial,  to  be  spots  and  blemishes,  and  clogs  to  the  free 
action  of  a  church's  powers.  They  will  become 
points  of  accretion,  around  which  ignorance,  or  super- 
stition, or  misdirected  solicitude  for  the  honor  of 
Christ  and  the  glory  of  the  church,  will  gather  masses 


36  CHURCH    POLITY. 

of  deformity  and  corruption.  This  receives  abundant 
illustration  from  the  natural  results  of  the  additions 
which  have  been  made  to  the  idea  of  a  church,  in  the 
Greek  and  the  Roman  Catholic  communions ;  also, 
from  the  legitimate  results  of  introducing  infant-bap- 
tism among  Christian  observances,  and  from  the  con- 
sequences of  additions  to  the  4Gsign  of  a  church,  on 
the  ground  that  it  was  intended  to  act  directly  on  gov- 
ernments, as  in  the  English  church,  in  the  early  eccle- 
siastical regulations  of  New  England,  and  in  the  case 
of  any  alliances  between  church Imd  state. 


CHAPTER  II.  ♦ 

ORGANIZATION    OF    THE     EARLIEST    CHURCHES. 

§  The  New  Testa^tient  plan  eminently  simple: 
apparently  the  growth  of  circumstances^  but  in  ac- 
cordance with  the  will  of  Christ.  —  Church  polity, 
though  exhibiting  in  the  Christian  world  a  multiform 
and  cumberous  machinery,  is  yet  in  the  New  Testa- 
ment a  matter  of  great  simplicity.  A  church,  as 
presented  in  the  sacred  records,  has  nothing  in  it  of  an 
imposing  character ;  but  is  remarkably  in  keeping 
with  the  simple  and  unostentatious  movements  of  the 
Founder  of  Christianity. 

We  have  no  evidence  that  our  Lord  ever,  while  on 
earth,  gave  special  instructions  to  his  apostles  on  the 
subject  of  church-organization  ;  nor  is  the  supposition, 
that  he  did  so,  at  all  necessary.  That  such  an  organi- 
zation as  his  wisdom  would  have  directed,  could  be 
commenced  by  them  without  preliminary  instructions 
from  himself  is  unquestionable  ;  for  by  the  temper  of 
mind  which  his  preparatory  training  of  them  had 
4 


3S  CHURCH    POLITY. 

produced,  also  by  his  subsequent  providential  arrange- 
ment of  circumstances,  moreover,  and  particularly,  by 
the  direction  which  in  due  time  he  would  give  to  their 
minds  by  th^  Holy  Spirit,  he  could  as  effectually  secure 
this  end  as  by  giving  .instructions  before  the  necessity 
for  action  had  arisen.  It  would  seem  that  it  was  in 
this  way  he  provided  for  bringing  his  purpose  into 
effect. 

But  when  we  confine  our  attention  to  the  human 
agents,  the  whole  matter  of  church-organization  ap- 
pears to  have  been  a  natural  and  gradual  growth  from 
existing  circumstances,  as  the  circumstances  arose  and 
called  into  requisition  the  wisdom  and  piety  of  the 
apostles.  So  far  as  appears,  a  definite  and  minute 
system  of  church-order  was  not  framed  by  them  before- 
hand. A  few  fundamental  principles  as  to  member- 
ship and  conduct  of  affairs  appear  to  have  been 
observed  ;  and,  in  accordance  with  these  principles 
and  with  a  wise  regard  to  existing  circumstances,  the 
apostles  suggested  or,  sometimes,  arranged  all  needful 
methods  of  supervision  and  action.  They  were,  how- 
ever, guided  by  wisdom  higher  than  their  own ;  and 
were  thus  led  to  a  course  entirely  harmonious  with 
their  Lord's  design. 


ORGANIZATION  OF  CHURCHES.  39 

That  the  apostles  had  not  framed  beforehand  a  defi- 
nite plan,  seems  clear  from  the  fact,  that  a  part  of  the 
apostolic  era  was  a  forming  period  as  to  arrangements 
for  church  aflairs.  Consequently,  there  was  progress. 
When  the  apostle  wrote  to  Timothy  and  Titus,  church- 
order  was,  evidently,  far  in  advance  of  what  it  was  at 
first.  The  point  of  definite  organization  had,  by  that 
time,  been  reached. 

§  Germ  of  chzcrch  organization.  —  In  tracing 
church  organization  back  to  its  origin,  we  find  its 
germ  in  the  state  of  things  existing  during  the  life 
of  Christ.  The  Jewish  polity  was  not  yet,  indeed, 
dissolved  ;  still,  Christ  was  evidently  preparing  the 
way  for  a  separate  community  which  was  to  regard 
him  as  its  Head.  The  Jewish  economy,  as  a  religious 
establishment,  was  to  be  left  "  to  grow  old  and  vanish 
away  ;"  it  was  to  die  out.  Our  Lord  selected  twelve 
men  as  his  special  disciples  and  apostles.  These  he 
was  preparing  to  be  leaders  of  the  new  community 
and  to  be  his  representatives,  qualified  to  teach  and 
act  in  accordance  with  his  own  will.  On  them  he 
perpetually  inculcated  the  sentiment  of  mutual  equality 
in  point  of  dignity.    All  his  instructions  aimed  to  unite 


40  CHURCH    POLITY. 

them  together  as  brethren  from  whose  breasts  envy 
and  jealousy  ought  to  be  banished,  whose  highest 
dignit}'-  would  consist  in  humility,  in  condescending  to 
one  another  and  to  men  of  low  estate,  and  in  efforts, 
by  teaching  and  exam|51e  to  promote  piety  towards 
God  and  mutual  justice  and  benevolence  among  men. 
All  our  Lord's  intercourse  with  his  apostles  tended  to 
impress  on  them  these  principles  and  to  fit  them  for 
furnishing,  in  their  example  and  in  the  regulations 
which  they  might  make  for  the  believers,  a  specimen 
of  his  will.  When  he  was  afterwards  removed  from 
them  and  they  were  left  alone  as  his  representatives, 
the  sentiments  which  he  had  inculcated  would  tend  to 
the  formation,  when  circumstances  should  demand, 
of  a  very  simple  association  and  the  creating  of  such 
offices,  and  only  such,  as  necessity  should  require. 

Besides,  the  apostles  and  other  Jewish  Christians 
had  long  been  accustomed  to  a  simple  form  of  organi- 
zation^n  the  Jewish  Synagogues.  Those  Jewish  con- 
gregations, while  they  could  not  be  authoritative 
models  for  the  apostles,  yet  might  naturally  suggest 
arrangements  which  would  meet  the  wants  of  the 
Christians. 


ORGANIZATION  OF  CHURCHES.  4! 

§  The  Apostles  divhiely  qualified.  —  In  these 
movements  of  the  apostles,  we  must  also  regard  them 
as  endowed  with  all  needed  divine  influence  for  teach- 
ing the  gospel  and  guiding  the  aflairs  of  their  Lord's 
followers.  According  to  Matt.  xvi.  19,  and  xviii. 
iS-io,  they  were  invested  with  authority  in  regard  to 
making  known  and  acting  upon  the  principles  of  their 
Lord's  religion;  in  John  xvi.  12-15  ^^^  ^^-  21-23, 
adequate  influence  of  the  Holy  Spirit  was  promised  to 
them,  as  leaders  in  the  new  religion  ;  in  Acts  i.  4,  5, 
S,  and  ii.  33,  a  similar  promise  is  recorded  and  the 
fulfilment  declared. 

§  Case  of  the  Apostle  Paid.  —  The  training  and 
teaching  of  the  apostles  by  their  Lord  have  been 
spoken  of.  The  Apostle  Paul  was  not,  indeed,  trained 
up,  as  were  the  other  apostles,  under  the  eye  of  Christ. 
But  this  deficiency  was  amply  compensated  by  the 
special  manner  in  which  he  became  qualified  for  the 
apostleship.  Besides  his  miraculous  conversion,  in 
connection  with  which  the  ascension  and  power  of 
Christ  were  clearly  disclosed  to  him,  Acts  ix.  3-6,  xxii. 
6-15,  xxvi.  12-18,  he  was  favored  with  unexampled 
"  visions  and  revelations  of  the  Lord,"  2  Cor.  xii.  1-7, 
4* 


43  CHURCH    POLITY. 

I  Cor.  xi.  23.  Thus  In  all  the  necessary  qualifications, 
he  occupied  the  same  ground  as  the  other  apostles. 
Compare  i  Cor.  ix.  i,  xv.  S-io,  2  Cor.  xi.  5,  xii.  11,  12. 

§  Unassuviing  d&portmcnt  of  the  Apostles.  —  It 
is  worthy  of  notice,  that  the  apostles  in  discharging 
their  office  did  not,  ordinarily,  use  their  authority,  either 
as  a  separate  body  of  men,  or  as  individuals,  in  a  man- 
ner which  would  be  indicative  of  their  superiority. 
They  acted,  generally,  rather  as  members  of  a  deliber- 
ative body  to  which  they  could  give  advice,  than  as 
extraordinary  officers  empowered  to  act  authorita- 
tively. Their  influence,  however,  was  none  the  less 
on  that  account. 

§  Historical  view  of  cJnirch  o7'g-a?iization^  in  the 
New  Testament.  —  For  a  while  after  our  Lord's  as- 
cension, no  arrangement  in  regard  to  offices  appears 
to  have  been  made  ;  in  all  probability,  the  apostles 
alone  occupied  an  official  relation.  Others,  no  doubt, 
took  an  active  part,  according  to  their  endowments 
both  by  nature  and  the  Divine  Spirit,  in  exhortation, 
instruction  and  prayer,  and  in  other  modes  of  promot- 
ing the  common  good.  At  length,  as  we  learn  from 
the  sixth  chapter  of  Acts,  when  the  number  of  disci- 


ORGANIZATION   OF    CHURCHES.  43 

pies  in  Jerusalem  had  greatly  increased,  a  disagree- 
ment arose  in  reference  to  the  maintenance  of  destitute 
widows.*  This  circumstance  suggested  to  the  apostles 
the  propriety  of  directing  the  brethren  to  select  seven 
men  who  should  be  specially  entrusted  with  this 
matter.  Their  direction  on  this  subject  was  founded 
on  the  principle,  that  they  themselves  ought  not  to  be 
burdened  with  pecuniary,  or  secular,  affairs,  but  ought 
to  dve  themselves  without  embarrassment  "  to  prayer 
and  the  ministry  of  the  word." 

An  office,  properly  speaking,  was  thus  created',  so 
that  two  official  departments  was,  on  that  occasion, 
recognized  as  required  by  the  wants  of  a  church  ;  one, 
which  has  respect  to  the  spiritual  care  of  the  members 
and  the  dispensing  of  the  gospel ;  another,  wdiich  has 
respect  to  matters  aside  from  prayer  and  the  ministry 
of  the  word. 


*This  disagreement  originated  among  the  Hellenist  Chris- 
tians, called  in  our  version  Grecians,  that  is,- Jews  who  used 
the  Greek  language.  They  probably  complained  that  the 
widows  in  their  part  of  the  church  did  not  receive  a  fair  pro- 
portion of  pecuniary  aid  as  compared  with  the  widows  of  the 
Hebrew  part  of  the  church ;  that  is,  of  the  part  of  the  church 
that  spoke  the  Hebrew  language  as  then  current  in  Palestine. 


44  CHURCH   POLITY. 

It  is  common  to  regard  this  appointment  of  the 
seven  brethren  as  actually  originating  and  establishing 
the  office  of  Deacon.  But  no  name  indicative  of  office 
is  given  in  the  Scripture  to  these  men ;  and  as  they 
were  appointed  to  meet  a  special  exigency,  such  as 
could  not  probably  occur  elsewhere  than  in  Jerusalem, 
namely,  a  difficulty  between  two  classes  of  Jewish 
Christians,  this  opinion  has  been  called  in  question. 
This  objection  to  the  opinion,  however,  is  not  suffi- 
ciently weighty  entirely  to  refute  it ;  since  the  appoint- 
ment, though  originating  in  an  exigency,  peculiar 
probably  to  the  church  in  Jerusalem,  yet  proceeded  on 
a  principle  which  would  be  everywhere  operative  and 
w^ould  naturally  include  a  large  class  of  services : 
namely,  that  the  special  engagement  in  the  ministry 
of  the  word  and  in  duties  connected  with  it,  ought 
not  to  be  impeded  by  different  cares.  Neander, 
Church  History,  Vol.  i  p.  i88,  in  common  with  church 
historians  generally,  takes  it  for  granted  that  this  was 
actually  the  origin  of  Deacons.  But  a  somewhat  dif- 
ferent, though  kindred,  oj^inion  is  well  worthy  of  con- 
sideration ;  namely,  that  this  appointment  to  a  certain 
special  service  originated  a  sort  of  eldership  among 


ORGANIZATION    OF    CHURCHES.  45 

the  Christians,  and  proved  the  germ  of  the  two  offices 
which  were  finally  established.* 

Thus  far  there  was  but  one  church,  that  in  Jeru- 
salem. Subsequently  the  Christians  were  dispersed 
"throughout  the  regions  of  Judea  and  Samaria  ;  "  and 
though  the  apostles  remained  awhile  in  Jerusalem, 
Acts  viii.  I,  yet  they  also,  at  least  all  but  two  or  three, 
afterwards  went  abroad.  Thus  the  apostles  and  those 
brethren  whose  endowments  fitted  them  for  public 
service,  were  publishing  the  gospel  far  and  wide. 

Churches  were  now  formed  at  a  distance  from 
Jerusalem;  for  in  Acts,  ix.  31,  we  read  of  "the 
churches  in  Judea,  Samaria,  and  Galilee."  They 
would  naturally  imitate  in  their  arrangement  the 
church  in  Jerusalem;  with  the  difference,  that  the 
apostles,  not  being  residents  in  these  various  places, 
could  not  be  looked  up  to  as  the  personal  directors  of 
their  affairs.  But  as  a  company  of  officers  had  been 
appointed  in  the  church  at  Jerusalem,  so  in  these 
churches  a  board  of  officers  would  naturally  be  ap- 
pointed on  whom  all  official  concerns  would  be  de- 
volved.    These    persons  would,  of  course,  be   selected 


♦  In  the  Appendix,  this  opinion,  as  well  as  some  others,  is 
more  fully  exhibited. 


46  CHURCH    POLITY. 

for  officers  who  gave  indications  of  possessing  gifts  by 
nature,  and  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  qualifying  them  to 
conduct  alTairs,  and  to  contribute  to  the  spiritual  edifi- 
cation of  the  church. 

§  P21U  groivth  of  tJic  o7'ga7iization.  —  In  the  book 
of  Acts,  from  the  time  of  the  apostle  Paul's  entering 
more  fully  on  his  work,  a  more  particular  account  is 
given  of  his  labors  than  of  those  of  the  other  apostles. 
We  are,  consequently,  restricted  to  his  labors  in  our 
search  for  the  organization  of  churches.  It  appears, 
then,  that  when  in  any  place  his  labors  were  blessed, 
so  that  there  was  a  company  of  converts,  these  con- 
verts became  a  church  which  was  also  furnished  with 
its  requisite  officers.  The  word  elders^  Acts,  xiv.  23, 
designates  "  these  officers :  a  word,  which  probably 
originated  from  the  usage  of  the  Jewish  synagogues, 
and  which  would  very  naturally  be  transferred,  by 
converted  Jews,  to  Christian  churches.  This  word 
would  also  be  applicable,  as  expressing  official  respect 
rather  than  a  specific  service,  to  all  the  officers  that  might 
be  appointed.  Being  in  itself  of  a  general  significa- 
tion, it  could  be  applied,  like  our  word  office?-^  to  men 


ORGANIZATION    OF   CHURCHES.  47 

in  various  official  positions*.  But  when  a  more  par- 
ticular mention  of  officers  is  made,  as  in  Phil,  i*  i,  and 
I  Tim.  iii.  two  classes  are  named;  bishops,  that  is, 
according  to  the  etymology  of  the  word  overseers^ 
also  denominated  joastors,  Ej^h.  iv.  ii,  and  deacons, 
corresponding  to  the  two  departments  of  service, 
which  were  contemplated  by  the  apostles  at  the  elec- 
tion of  the  Seven  in  Jerusalem.  Thus  the  arrange- 
ment, virtually  commenced  in  that  city,  appears  to  have 
l)een  everywhere  adopted. f 

*  Two  passages  are  best  explained  by  the  aid  of  such  a 
view,  Acts,  xiv.  23.  i  Tim.  v.  17.  In  the  absence  of  definite 
information,  and  of  certain  argument,  it  seems  probable  from 
the  usage  in  the  New  Testament,  that  the  word  elder,  was, 
at  first,  employed  as  a  general  term,  and  afterwards,  perhaps 
when  the  word  deacon  had  become  an  official  title,  was  ap- 
propriated usually  to  a  chief  oflicer  in  a  church,  and  was 
thus  equivalent  to  the  word  bishop,  or  overeseer.  Yet  even 
after  this,  as  in  i  Tim.  v.  17,  it  would  seem  to  have  been  occa- 
-ionally  employed  in  the  general  sense. 

t  Mosheim  in  his  Commentaries  on  the  affairs  of  the 
Christians,  before  the  time  of  Constantine  the  Great,  Vol.  I. 
p.  145,  Murdock's  edition,  expresses  the  opinion  that  "  all 
these  churches  were  constituted  and  formed  after  the  model 


48  CHURCH    POLITY. 

§  More  bishops  tha?z  one  i7i  some  cJmrcJies.  —  From 
Phil.  i.  I,  it  is  clear  that  the  church  in  Philippi  had 
more  bishops  than  one,  as  well  as  more  deacons  than 
one  ;  it  would  also  appear,  from  Acts  xx.  17,  28,  that 
the  church  in  Ephesus  had  several  bishops.  Yet  in 
the  third  chapter  of  i  Timothy,  the  apostle  seems  to 
have  had  before  his  mind  the  case  of  a  church  with 
one  bishop,  and  several  deacons.  Probably,  the  cir- 
cumstances of  each  church  regulated  the  number  of 
persons  in  each  department  of  office.  A  church  in  a 
populous  city,  particularly  when  its  members  found  it 
necessary  to  meet  in  various  places,  and  when  oppor- 
tunities for  disseminating  the  gospel  in  the  surround- 
ing country  called  for  much  Christian  activity,  would 
require  several  to  be  specially  occupied  in  teaching, 
and  in  pastoral  supervision,  while  in  other  situations 
one  person  might  have  been  sufficient  for  this  service. 

§  Churches  of  the  apostolic  tl??2es  ftirnlsh  tis  a 
model.  —  As  the   apostle  proceeded  in  this  way,  form- 

of  that  which  was  first  planted  at  Jerusalem."  Giesler  also 
says  in  his  Compendium  of  Ecclesiastical  History,  Vol.  I., 
p.  90,  Davidson's  Translation,  "The  new  churches  every- 
where formed  themselves  after  the  pattern  of  the  mother- 
church  in  Jerusalem." 


ORGANIZATION    OF    CHURCHES.  49 

ing  separate  congregations  of  believers,  that  is,  sepa- 
rate individual  churches,  and  perpetuating  the  two 
official  departments  of  bishop,  or  overseer,  also  called 
pastor^  and  deacon  "  in  every  church,"  Acts  xiv.  23, 
and  as  we  have  no  intimation  in  the  sacred  record 
that  any  addition  to  this  arrangement  was  made  dur- 
ing the  apostolic  era,  we  have  here  a  model  for  the 
organization  of  a  Christian  church.* 

§  Deaconesses.  —  In  the  account  thus  far  given  of 
the  organization  of  the  earliest  churches,  no  notice 
has  been  taken  of  deaconesses.  Yet  we  have  reason 
to  believe  that  in  those  churches,  at  least  in  those 
which  were  composed  in  great  part  of  Gentiles,  there 

*  Mosheim,  in  his  Institutes  of  Ecclesiastical  History,  Vol. 
I.  p.  80,  Murdock's  translation,  though  he  admits  of  more  lat- 
itude than  would  to  some  appear  justifiable,  yet  says — "  If, 
however,  what  no  Christian  can  doubt,  the  apostles  of  Jesus 
Christ  acted  by  divine  command  and  guidance,  then  that 
form  of  the  primitive  churches  which  was  derived  from  the 
church  of  Jerusalem,  erected  and  organized  by  the  apostles 
themselves,  must  be  accounted  divined  We  certainly  have 
no  adequate  authority  for  any  other  form  of  a  church,  and 
are  not  at  liberty  to  adopt  any  form  opposed  to  the  principles 
which  entered  into  the  apostolic  form. 
5 


50  CHURCH    POLITY. 

were  women  to  whom,  as  charged  with  special  ser- 
vice, this  appellation  was  given.  The  service  in 
which  Phebe  of  Cenchrea,  Rom.  xvi.  i,was  occupied, 
was  probably  that  of  a  deaconess.  The  language  in 
the  original  of  i  Tim.  iii.  ii,  "Even  so  must  their 
wives,"  literally,  "  Even  so  the  women,"  is  best  ex- 
plained as  relating  to  such  women.  The  circumstan- 
ces of  the  times  in  the  age  of  the  apostles  made  the 
services  of  women  in  church-affairs  necessary,  and  led 
to  this  measure. 

It  is,  however,  to  be  considered  that  deaconesses  sus- 
tained a  relation  only  to  a  part,  not  to  the  whole,  of  a 
church  :  we  must  also  bear  in  mind  the  sentiments  of 
the  apostle  in  regard  to  the  appropriate  position  of 
women  in  a  church,  as  expressed  in  i  Tim.  ii.  12.  i 
Cor.  xiv.  34,  35.  Hence,  the  relation  of  such  persons 
could  have  been  only,  at  most,  a  semi-official  one,  and 
would,  probably,  not  be  recognized  on  a  formal  or 
public  occasion,  as  we  see  in  Phil.  i.  i,  where  the 
apostle  mentions  only,  with  an  official  intent,  the  bish- 
ops and  deacons.  While,  however,  it  had  respect  only 
to  a  portion  of  a  church,  and  was  required  by  local 
circumstances,  some  of  the  substantial  reasons  for  a 
church's   employing    the   services   of  suitable   women 


ORGANIZATION    OF   CHURCHES.  5 1 

will  always  remain.  It  is  a  matter  of  indifference, 
whether  this  relation  to  a  church  be  held  permanently 
by  the  same  individuals,  or  whether,  to  meet  neces- 
sities  as  they  arise,  suitable  women  be  temporarily  ap- 
pointed for  specific  services. 


CHAPTER   III. 

DUTIES    AND    POWER    OF     CHURCH    OFFICERS.       POWER 
OF    CHURCHES. 

The  duties  of  the  two  classes  of  officers  in  a  church 
may  be  anticipated  from  the  preceding  chapter. 

§  Duties  of  a  Bishop.  — To  the  bishop's,  that  is, 
the  pastor's,  office  belongs  the  spiritual  superintend- 
ence of  a  church,  together  with  the  preaching  of  the 
gospel  and  conducting  of  the  public  worship,  and  con- 
tributing to  the  religious  improvement  of  his  people 
by  private  intercourse,  according  to  the  circumstances 
of  families  and  of  individuals.  A  pastor  is,  in  ordinary 
cases,  to  be  wholly  devoted  to  the  religious  instruction 
and  spiritual  welfare  of  the  people  over  whom  he  is 
placed.  This  appears  from  the  principle  which  guided 
the  apostles  \vhen  they  gave  direction  respecting  the 
choice  of  the  Seven,  Acts  vi.  2-4  ;  and  from  intimations 
in  the  apostle's  instructions  to  Timothy.  Agreeably 
to  I  Tim.  iil.  5,  a  bishop  is  to  take  care  of  the  church 
of  God  ;  to  iv.  13-16,  he  is  to  be  occupied  in  promoting 
(52) 


DUTIES    OF    CHURCH    OFFICERS.  53 

the  religious  culture  of  his  own  mind,  and  in  persevering 
efforts  for  the  spiritual  welfare  of  those  who  hear  him. 
Agreeably  to  2  Tim.  ii.  15,  he  must  be  a  workman  ably 
inculcating  the  true  doctrine  ;  and  to  iv.  1-5,  he  must 
be,  "  in  season  and  out  of  season,"  occupied  in  preach- 
ing the  gospel  and  guarding  his  people  against  error, 
always  vigilant  and  aiming  at  the  full  accomplishment 
of  his  ministry.  Of  the  same  tenor  are  the  passages, 
Tit.  i.  9,  "  holding  fast  the  faithful  word,  that  he  may 
be  able  by  sound  doctrine  both  to  exhort  and  to  con- 
vince the  gainsayers  ;  "  and  Acts  xx.  20,  "  I  kept  back 
nothing  that  was  profitable." 

His  duties  are  to  be  discharged  with  freedom  from  a 
mercenary  and  lordly  spirit,  i  Pet.  v.  1-4 ;  with  a 
careful  and  deferential  regard  to  circumstances  and 
persons,  i  Tim.  v.  i,  2  ;  and  in  a  manner  worthy  of 
universal  respect,  i  Tim.  iv.  6,  11,  12.     Tit.  ii.  15. 

§  Duties  of  Deacons.  —  The  deacons  are  to  render 
service,  particularly,  in  secular  matters  ;  such  as  attend- 
ing to  the  wants  of  the  indigent  members,  and  to 
matters  required  by  the  church's  welfiire,  which,  if 
undertaken  by  the  pastor,  would  prove  a  hindrance  to 
the  due  performance  of  his  appropriate  work.  They 
are,  consequently,  in  their  serving  the  church,  s^oecial 
5* 


54  CHURCH    POLITY. 

aids  to  the  pastor.  This  general  idea  of  serving  the 
church  in  matters  which  are  aside  from  the  pastor's 
specific  duties,  and,  so  far  as  is  necessary,  in  aid  of  the 
pastor,  is  capable  of  wide  expansion,  according  to  the 
exigencies  of  time  and  place,  and  of  contraction  in 
favoring  circumstances.  In  case,  for  instance,  of  the 
pastor's  sickness  or  absence,  or  in  case  of  a  vacancy  in 
the  pastoral  office,  the  sei-vices  of  the  deacons  would, 
clearly,  become  more  numerous  and  their  responsibility 
increased. 

The  qualifications  for  the  deacon's  office  are  stated 
in  I  Tim.  iii.  S-13.  It  is  worthy  of  observation  that 
aptness  to  teach  is  not  one  of  these  requisites.  The 
deacon's  office,  as  such,  was  not  a  teaching  office,  but 
was  designed  for  services  aside  from  public  teaching.* 

*  The  intimate  connection  of  deacons  with  bishops,  or 
pastors,  in  the  official  responsibilities  of  their  several  stations, 
sufficiently  accounts  for  the  fact,  that  subsequently  to  the 
apostle's  time,  when  the  distinction  between  clergy  and  laity 
became  broadly  marked,  the  deacons  were  regarded  as  a  con- 
stituent part  of  the  clerical  body.  The  idea,  also,  of  deacons 
belonging  to  the  clerical  body,  easily  led  to  the  view  that  the 
deacon's  office  was  the  first  step  in  "  holy  orders  "  as  introduc- 
tory to  the  priesthood. 


DUTIES    OF    CHURCH    OFFICERS.  55 

§  Power  of  Church  Officers.  —  The  duties  of 
church  ofTiccrs  have  thus  been  briefly  indicated.  We 
are  next  to  inquire,  With  what  power  are  they  clothed? 

This  inquiry  has  been  variously  answered  ;  and  it 
would  seem,  by  usages  which  have  prevailed  in  the 
Christian  world,  to  be  encumbered  with  much  diffi- 
culty ;  yet  it  is  capable  of  a  very  simple  and  satisfac- 
tory answer,  if  we  restrict  ourselves  to  the  teachings 
of  the  New  Testament. 

The  power  which  belongs  to  the  officers  of  a  church, 
considered  apart  from  the  church,  is  very  limited :  in 
fact,  service,  or  duty,  rather  than  power,  is  character- 
istic of  their  relation  to  a  church.  Should  the  proper 
province,  also,  of  a  church  be  duly  observed,  as  relating 
to  spiritual  aftairs  and  the  extension  of  Christianity  as 
a  system  for  men's  salvation,  little  occasion  could  ever 
arise  for  discussing  the  nature  and  extent  of  povi^er  be- 
lono^insf  to  a  church  officer  in  distinction  from  the 
members  of  a  church. 

§  I .  Pastors.  —  According  to  the  phraseology  of 
our  English  version  of  the  New  Testament,  a  species 
of  riding  belongs  particularly  to  the  bishops,  or  pas- 
tors ;    and  the  members   are    directed  to  obey  tlicm. 


5^  CHURCH    POLITY. 

Thus,  in,  i  Tim.  v.  i7,  we  read,  "  Let  the  elders  that 
rule  well  be  counted  worthy  of  double  honor,  espe- 
cially they  who  labor  in  the  word  and  doctrine  ;  and  in 
Heb.  xiii.  7,  17,  24,  "  Remember  them  which  have  the 
rule  over  you,  —  Obey  them  that  have  the  rule  over 
you,  —  Salute  all  them  that  have  the  rule  over  you." 
But  the  word  rule^  in  its  ordinary  acceptation,  does  not 
well  convey  the  meaning  of  the  original  terms  em- 
ployed in  these  passages.  The  original  terms  here 
used,  rather  convey  the  idea  of  holding  a  foremost 
;position^  or  of  leaderships  in  a  church.  As  the  orig- 
inal phraseology  conveys  only  the  general  idea  of 
leaders,  of  persons  occupying  a  foremost  position,  it 
is  not  surprising  that  this  relation,  so  far  at  least  as 
power  is  concerned,  is  not  accurately  defined,  and  is 
not  capable  from  any  directions  or  examples  in  Scrip- 
ture, of  being  particularly  described.  The  very  genius 
of  Christianity  and  the  character  of  the  New  Testa- 
ment records  forbid  us  to  expect  particularity  of  detail 
on  this  subject.  Christian  feeling  was,  at  first,  suffi- 
ciently pure  and  strong  to  secure  on  the  part  of  the 
people  proper  respect  and  deference  for  the  officers,  as 
well  as  to  preserve  the  officers  from  the  dictatorial 
spirit  of  lordship. 


DUTIES    OF    CHURCH    OFFICERS.  57 

The  official  designations  of  the  persons  in  question 
certainly  convey  the  idea  of  preeminence  :  thus,  agrce- 
abl}'  to  Greek  etymology,  those  who  stand  before^* 
chief  men,  presiding  officers  ;  those  who  lead^-\  direc- 
tors ;  shepherds^  X  (pastors);  overseers ;%  teachers  ;\ 
elders ;  ^  whether  in  point  of  age  or  as  charged  with 
responsibilities  suitable  for  a  person  of  mature  age. 

These  designations  make  it  sufficiently  evident  that 
a  bishop  held  the  chief  place  in  the  church  which  he 
served  ;  and  in  view  of  them  it  would  be  natural  that  in 
the  meetings  of  a  church  for  worship,  or  for  business, 
or  both,  the  pastor,  or  one  of  the  pastors,  would  superin- 
tend as  leader  of  the  worship,  as  moderator,  or  pre- 

*  IlQoiorwrtg,  i  Tim.  v.  17.     Compare  i  Thess.  v.  12. 

f  ijyovjitsvof,  Heb.  xiii.  7,  17,  24. 

J  noiuertg,  Eph.  iv.  1 1. 

§  tnmxonni,  i  Tim.  iii.  2. 

II  SidaaxaXoi,  Eph.  iv.  II. 

^  7iota(iuTeQoi,  Acts  xiv.  23;  i  Tim.  v.  17.  The  term,  rtdi7ig 
elders^  as  distinguishing  certain  officers  from  preachers,  or 
pastors,  is  not  authorized  by  the  Greek  New  Testament;  since 
those  whom  our  version  represents  as  rtcling  held,  evidently, 
in  the  majority  of  instances,  the  position  of  preachers.  See 
I  Tim.  V.  17.     Ileb.  xiii.  7,  17,  24. 


58  CHURCH    POLITY. 

siding  officer.  It  is  thus,  in  all  probability,  that 
bishops  were  church  rulers,  as  well  as  by  their  general 
care  and  by  being  religious  teachers  of  the  people 
and  expounders  of  divine  truth.  On  any  occasions, 
also,  which  would  bring  the  affairs  of  Christians  into 
public  notice,  these  men  would  naturally  be  regarded 
as  heads  of  the  churches ;  and  would,  naturally,  if 
circumstances  required,  be  the  organs  of  communica- 
tion between  the  churches  and  other  bodies. 

As  being  spiritual  guides  and  overseers  of  a  church, 
they  would  be  entitled  to  deference.  Hence,  a  spirit 
of  respectful  subjection  to  their  instructions  is  enjoined  ; 
as  in  Heb.  xiii.  17,  "  Obey  them  that  have  the  rule  over 
you,  and  submit  yourselves."  That  an  indiscriminate 
subjection,  yielded  to  them  simply  on  official  grounds, 
is  not  enjoined,  clearly  follows  from  the  mention  in  i 
Thess.  V.  13,  of  their  woi'k^  "the  work  of  Christ" 
performed  by  them,  Phil.  ii.  30,  as  being  the  ground 
of  the  respect  to  which  they  are  entitled,  and  from  the 
caution  given  them  in  i  Peter  v.  3,  against  indulging 
the  spirit  of  authority.  This  results,  also,  obviously 
from  the  principle  that  a  pastor  is  to  inculcate  the  re- 
ligion of  Christ,  and  that  his  instructions  are  worthy 
of  acceptance  only  so   Car  as  they  have  the  character 


DUTIES    OF   CHURCH    OFFICERS.  59 

of  "  sound  speech  that  cannot  be  condemned."  Titus 
ii.  S,  a  pastor  has  no  official  authority  independent  of 
the  instructions  of  the  Holy  Scriptures,  properly  ex- 
plained and  properly  applied.  Whatever  these  teach 
or  enjoin,  he  is  to  make  known,  and  to  seek  for  it 
reception  and  obedience  ;  his  personal  or  official  au- 
thority comes  not  into  consideration ;  he  is  a  servant 
of  Christ.  This  principle  contracts  the  power  of  a 
pastor,  as  a  church  officer,  within  narrow  limits.  He, 
as  well  as  every  private  member,  must  be  controlled 
by  the  word  of  God ;  and  the  greater  deference  which 
is  due  to  him  arises  mainly,  though  not  exclusively  — 
for  our  Creator  has  so  constituted  us  that  we  naturally 
feel  respect  for  a  person  occupying  an  honorable  offi- 
cial position  —  from  the  circumstance,  that  he  may  be 
presumed  to  be  more  acquainted  with  the  Scriptures 
and  to  be  more  thoroughly  pious  than  those  whose 
employments  are  less  spiritual.* 

♦The  direction  of  the  Apostle  in  i  Tim.  v.  19,  "Against  an 
elder  receive  not  an  accusation,  but  before  two  or  three  wit- 
nesses," was  probably  founded  in  part  on  this  natural  senti- 
ment of  respect;  while,  at  the  same  time,  greater  carefulness 
in  reference  to  an  accused  elder  would  be  required  by  the 
presumption  of  his  innocence  in  view  of  his  superior  obliga- 
tions and  motives  to  piety. 


6o  CHURCH    POLITY. 

Neander,  in  his  Church  History, Vol.  I,  p.  189,  justly 
remarks,  "  As  regards  the  relation  in  which  the  pres- 
byters [the  elders]  stood  to  the  communities,  they  were 
not  designed  to  exercise  absolute  authority,  but  to  act 
as  presiding  officers  and  guides  of  an  ecclesiastical 
republic  ;  to  conduct  all  things  with  the  cooperation 
of  the  communities  as  their  ministers,  and  not  their 
masters." 

This  fraternal  spirit  in  which  the  presiding  officers 
of  the  earliest  churches  were  required  to  perform  their 
duties,  beautifully  accords  with  the  unassuming  manner 
in  which  the  apostles  conducted  towards  the  Christians, 
as  intimated  in  the  preceding  chapter.  The  pastors 
were  not  to  lord  it  over  God's  heritage,  i  Peter  v.  3, 
as  dictators  but  to  care  for  the  flock  of  God,  as  shep- 
herds ;  and  in  this  relation  and  the  manifestation  of 
this  spirit  they  would  be  entitled  to  respect  and  defer- 
ence. 

Accordingly,  the  members  of  a  church  are  required 
by  the  New  Testament  to  hold  their  pastors  in  high 
esteem  and  to  receive  from  them  with  an  obedient 
spirit  the  word  of  God  ;  as  in  i  Thess.  v.  12,  13,  "  We 
beseech  you,  brethren,  to  know  "  —  that  is,  to  cherish 
a   respectful    and    affectionate    interest   for  —  "  them 


DUTIES    OF    CHURCH    OFFICERS.  6l 

which  labor  among  you  and  are  over  you  in  the  Lord, 
and  to  esteem  them  very  highly  in  love  for  their  vs^ork's 
sake,"  and  In  i  Tim.  v.  17,  "  Let  the  elders  that  rule 
well  be  counted  worthy  of  double  honor,  especially 
they  who  labor  in  the  word  and  doctrine  ;  "  also,  in 
Heb.  xiii.  17,  "Obey  them  that  have  the  rule  over  you 
and  submit  yourselves. '^ 

§  3.  Deacons.  —  In  the  forward  position  occupied 
by  the  pastor,  or  pastors,  of  a  church,  and  in  the 
respect  and  affection  due  to  such,  the  deacons  partake 
in  just  proportion  ;  as  appears  from  the  nature  of  the 
case,  from  their  being  mentioned,  Phil.  i.  2,  in  con- 
junction with  the  pastors,  and  from  i  Tim.  v.  17, 
which  requires  honor  to  be  paid  to  those  elders  who 
serv^e  otherwise  than  in  the  dispensation  of  the  gospel, 
as  well  as  to  those  who  preach. 

§  Power  oj"  churches.,  considered  in  reference  to 
the  power  of  church  officers.  — Another  principle  of 
great  weight,  relative  to  the  power  of  church  officers, 
is  contained  in  the  reply  to  the  question  ;  Where  does 
church  power  reside?  Does  it  reside  in  the  official 
body  of  a  church  ?  or,  in  the  body  of  a  church  itself, 
including  officers  and  private  members? 
6 


62  CHURCH    POLITY. 

The  reply  to  this  inquiry  is  of  great  importance,  as 
it  so  nearly  affects  the  relation  of  an  individual  pastor 
to  a  church,  and  of  church  officers,  as  such,  to  churches 
vie\yed  collectively. 

From  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles  we  learn  that  even 
on  the  most  important  questions  the  churches  were  the 
acting  bodies.  Business  was  transacted  by  a  body 
called  the  churchy  or  the  brethren^  or  the  multitude^ 
together  with  the  elders ;  and  not  by  elders,  as  such, 
aside  from  the  church.  Thus,  when  Matthias  was 
selected  to  supply  the  place  of  the  apostate  Judas, 
Acts  i.  15-26  ;  and  when  the  choice  of  the  Seven  was 
made.  Acts  vi.  2-5,  it  was  the  assembled  brethren 
who  were  addressed  and  who  acted.  When  the  ques- 
tion concerning  circumcision  was  to  be  carried  up 
from  Antioch  to  Jerusalem,  it  was  the  brethren  who 
appointed  the  messengers  for  that  purpose.  Acts  xv. 
1,2;  and  when  that  question  was  settled.  Acts  xv.  i, 
2,  7,  12,  22,  the  apostles  did  not  alone,  in  their  official 
capacity,  pronounce  a  decision,  nor  did  the  elders  act 
by  themselves  apart  from  the  members  of  the  church. 
The  church  members,  including  the  elders,  were  as- 
sembled  together ;  *     in   their   presence   the  question 

♦  When  at  the  election  of  the  Seven  and  at  the  consultation 


DUTIES    OF    CPIURCH    OFFICERS.  63 

was  discussed,  and  with  their  concurrence  the  matter 
was  disposed  of.     Acts  xv.  7,  12,  23. 

Then,  again,  a  messenger  was  to  accompany  the 
apostle  on  a  s^Decia]  occasion,  the  messenger  was  ap- 
pointed by  the  church,  2  Cor.  viii.  19,  23.  i  Cor.  xvi.  3. 

The  exclusion,  too,  of  an  unworthy  member  from  a 
church,  was  the  act  of  the  assembled  church,  i  Cor. 
V.  3-5,  13  ;  and  the  re-admission  of  that  person  was, 
also,  an  act  of  the  church,  2  Cor.  ii,  5-9. 

In  I  Cor.  vi.  4,  5,  is  also  a  clear  intimation  that  a 
church  was  expected  to  conduct  its  own  affairs. f 

§  Result  thus  far.  —  It  follows,  that  church-power 
resides  in  a  church  itself,  not  in  its  officers  as  distinct 
from  the  body  of  the  church. 

in  reference  to  circumcision  the  multitude  are  said  to  have 
come  together,  we  need  not  suppose  that  so  numerous  a  com- 
pany as  composed  the  church  in  Jerusalem  actually  assembled 
in  one  place.  It  is  enough  if  a  large  number  of  the  church 
were  in  attendance;  or  if  it  were  generally  understood  that 
the  members,  as  such,  were  to  attend. 

fThe  apostle  was  here  rebuking  the  Corinthians  for  going 
to  law  before  the  heathen  magistrates,  as  if  among  them- 
selves there  was  not  even  one  who  was  adequate  to  pronounce 
a  righteous  judgment  between  Christian  brethren. 


64  CHURCH    POLITY. 

§  The  apostles'  manner  of  conducting  in  refer- 
ance  to  chtcrch-business.  —  It  is  worthy  of  distinct 
observation,  however,  that,  when  apostles  were  pres- 
ent, a  direction  was  given  by  them  to  the  action  of 
churches.  Churches  not  only  availed  themselves  of 
apostolic  suggestions,  but  also  acted  accordingly,  as 
we  see  in  Acts  i.  15,  21,  23,  in  reference  to  the  choice 
of  Matthias  as  an  apostle,  and  vi.  2,  3,  5,  in  reference 
to  the  choice  of  the  Seven  ;  likewise  in  i  Cor.  v.  3,  4, 
in  reference  to  the  exclusion  of  an  unworthy  member, 
and  in  2  Cor.  ii.  5-9,  in  reference  to  his  re-admission. 
In  the  last  case,  the  apostle  not  only  besought  the  Cor- 
inthians to  restore  the  penitent  offender,  but  expected 
them  to  be  obedient^  thus  taking  the  attitude  of  au- 
thority.* 

♦  The  idea  presented  above  concerning  apostolic  advice  and 
guidance,  suggests  what  is  meant,  in  part,  by  officers  in  a 
church  being  leaders,  and  shows  what  kind  of  guidance  be- 
longs to  them;  namely,  that  oi influence^  through  intelligence 
and  wisdom,  rather  than  of  cofnmafid,  or  control.  In  this 
way,  the  officers  in  a  church  may  approach  to  a  resemblance 
of  apostles,  in  the  latter's  giving  directions  concerning  the 
affairs  of  a  church ;  for  church  officers  without  insph-ation, 
cannot  assume  such  ground  as  apostles  occupied. 


DUTIES    OF    CHURCH    OFFICERS.  65 

The  language  of  Acts  xv.  6,  "  And  the  apostles  and 
ciders  came  together  to  consider  of  this  matter,"  im- 
plies at  first  sight  that  these  ofiicial  personages  took 
into  consideration,  by  themselves,  the  subject  which 
was  to  be  acted  on,  in  order,  perhaps,  to  mark  out  a 
course,  or  prepare  advice,  for  the  assembly.  On  ex- 
amination, however,  it  becomes  clear  that  a  decided 
view  of  the  case  was  not  jDrepared  previously  to  the 
public  meeting,  as  the  whole  subject  was  discussed  in 
public  even  by  the  aj^ostles,  and,  till  after  the  discus- 
sion, there  seems  to  have  been  a  shade  of  difference 
among  the  apostles.  The  correct  view,  according  to 
the  narrative,  is,  that  the  matter  was  sent  up  to  the 
apostles  and  elders  at  Jerusalem,  from  the  church  in 
Antiocli,  Acts  XV.  2  ;  and  on  information  received,  the 
apostles  and  elders  at  Jerusalem  came  together  to  con- 
sider it.  Their  meeting  was  a  jDublic  one.  Though 
no  mention  is  made  of  any  participation  in  the  discus- 
sion by  others  than  the  apostles,  yet  the  brethren  of 
the  church  were  acknowledged,  in  the  adoption  of  the 
conclusion  which  had  been  reached.     Actsxv.  12,  22, 

23. 

§  Histoi'ical  Instance  of  an  apparc7itly  dlffere7it 

tcno?'.  —  The  only  historical  instance,  in  which  indi- 

6* 


66  CHURCH    POLITY. 

viduals  of  authority  appear  to  have  performed  for  a 
church  a  matter  of  business  without  the  church's 
action,  occurs  in  Acts  xiv.  23,  where  it  is  said  that  the 
apostles,  Paul  and  Barnabas,  ordained  elders  in  every 
church,  which,  during  the  missionary  tour,  they  had 
formed.  The  word  ordain  must  not  be  here  under- 
stood in  our  modern  technical  sense,  as  indicating  a 
ceremonial  act,  but  as  equivalent  to  our  word  appoint. 
The  passage  conveys  the  idea  that  Paul  and  Barnabas 
selected  the  men  spoken  of,  and  appointed  them  to 
their  offices. 

If  this  were  the  only  passage  in  which  mention 
occurs  of  choosing  church-officers,  or  of  the  transac- 
tion of  church-business,  the  view  that  Paul  and  Bar- 
nabas acted  alone  on  these  occasions  would  be  valid. 
But  since,  on  other  occasions,  it  is  so  clear  that 
churches  acted  in  appointments  to  office,  this  passage 
may  bear  a  corresponding  explanation.  The  churches 
spoken  of  in  this  passage,  might  have  taken  an  active 
part  in  the  appointment  of  officers,  though  the  his- 
torian makes  no  mention  of  the  circumstance.  Paul 
and  Barnabas  might  have  proposed  the  persons  best 
fitted  for  office,  and  the  churches,  cither  by  formal 
vote  or  by  expressed  assent,  elected  those  very  per- 
sons. 


DUTIES    OF    CHURCH    OFFICERS.  6*J 

This  view   of  the   passage    receives    support    from 
comparing  it  with  a  statement   in  Acts  xvi.  4,  where 
"  the  decrees  "  are  s^^oken  of  "  that  were  ordained  of 
the  apostles  and  elders  at  Jerusalem."     Here  only  the 
apostles  and  elders  are  mentioned  ;  and  if  we  had  no 
other   information    about  this   matter,  we   should   be 
compelled  to  regard  these  decrees  as  emanating  from 
apostles  and  elders  alone.     But  according  to  Acts  xv. 
3,  4,   12,  33,  33,  30,  the  church  at  Jerusalem  was  also 
active   in  the   business.     Many  suppositions  might  be 
made,  as   accounting   for    this   manner   of   speaking. 
Perhaps  these  decrees  had  been  committed  to  writing, 
and  bore  the  signatures  of  the    apostles   and  elders : 
perhaps,  as  a  general  rule,  the  officers  were  considered 
in  regard  to  business  which  had  been  disposed  of  by 
the    church,   as   representatives  of  the  body :  or,    the 
apostles  and  elders  were  regarded  as  taking  the  lead  in 
this  transaction :  or,  what  is  most  probable,  the  histo- 
rian purposely  employed  a  brief  mode  of  expression. 
But  without  subjecting  this  passage  to  the  least  con- 
straint,    "  it    may   be,"    as   Neander    remarks  in    his 
Church  History,  Vol.  I.  p.   1S9,  "It   maybe   that   in 
many  cases  the  apostles  themselves,  where  they  could 
not  as  yet  have  sufficient  confidence  in  the  spirit  of  the 


68  CHURCH    POLITY. 

first  new  communities,  conferred  the  important  office  of 
presbyters  on  such  as  in  their  own  judgment,  under  the 
light  of  the  Divine  Spirit,  appeared  to  be  the  fittest 
persons.  Their  choice  would,  however,  deserve  in 
the  highest  degree  the  confidence  of  the  communities." 
Such  a  proceeding  would  not,  it  may  be  added,  be 
at  variance  with  a  choice  of  officers  by  the  churches 
themselves  in  the  absence  of  apostles,  or  on  subse- 
quent occasions  of  electing  elders.  Even  if  Paul  and 
Barnabas  did,  on  the  occasions  mentioned,  appoint 
elders  without  an  election  by  the  churches  themselves, 
this  act  might  have  been  performed  by  them  as  one 
required  by  the  immature  and  inexperienced  state  of 
those  churches  ;  and  it,  doubtless,  received  the  cordial 
concurrence  of  those  churches.  It  establishes  no  prin- 
ciple in  regard  to  the  regular  transaction  of  church- 
affairs,  at  a  period  when  men  of  extraordinary  endow- 
ments and  position  were  no  longer  on  earth.  It 
does,  however,  suggest  and  encourage  the  idea,  that, 
at  an  early  period  of  a  church's  existence,  circum- 
stances may  require  a  minister  of  the  gospel,  ac- 
quainted with  the  case  and  with  the  characters  of  the 
members,  to  select  and  appoint  its  officers  ;*  not,  how- 

♦  Such  cases  can  be  easily  conceived  of  in  churches  of  hea- 
then converts,  on  missionary  ground. 


DUTIES    OF    CHURCH    OFFICERS.  69 

ever,  in  an  arbitrary  manner,  without  the  concurrence 
of  the  churches  concerned,  since  such  concurrence 
appears  to  have  been  carefully  aimed  at  by  the  apos- 
tles, as  a  general  practice.  Subsequent  elections,  as 
well  as  other  business,  may  proceed  from  the  church 
itself. 

§  Another  si7nilar  pnssage.  —  Another  passage 
of  a  similar  character,  since,  at  first  sight  and  viewed 
by  itself,  it  conflicts,  in  part  at  least,  with  the  idea 
that  a  church  transacted  its  own  business,  is  Tit.  i.  5, 
"  That  thou  shouldest  ordain  elders  in  every  city,  as 
I  had  appointed  thee.'* 

Neander's  remark.  Church  History,  Vol.  I,  p.  189, 
is  here  in  point:  "  when  St.  Paul  empowers  Titus  to 
set  presiding  oflEicers  over  the  communities  who  pos- 
sessed the  requisite  qualifications,  this  circumstance  de- 
cides nothing  as  to  the  mode  of  choice,  nor  is  a  choice 
by  the  community  itself  thereby  necessarily  excluded." 

§  Ulti??iate  Result.  —  From  the  statements  in  the 
New  Testament  now  given,  it  appears  that  the  earliest 
churches  were  assemblies  furnished  with  their  proper 
officers,  and  transacting  their  own  business.  A 
church  was  itself  the  ^at  of  power :  the  wisdom  and 


70  CHURCH    POLITY. 

integrity  of  its  officers,  however,  and  particularly  of 
apostles,  were  of  leading  influence,  just  as  in  all  wise 
deliberative,  and  executive  bodies,  men  of  eminent 
wisdom  and  integrity  give  a  tone  to  the  proceedings. 

S  Relation  of  the  question  of  church- pozvcr  to 
that  of  the  power  of  chitrch-oficcrs.  —  We  have 
been  considering  the  question  concerning  church- 
power,  not  by  itself,  but  as  relative  to  the  question 
concerning  the  power  of  church-officers.  The  conclu- 
sion is  obvious :  the  officers  of  a  church  have  no 
power  in  themselves  alone  ;  they  are  not  a  body  for 
ecclesiastical  business  separate  from  the  church  itself, 
but,  as  members  and  officers,  are  to  act  with  it. 

A  question,  then,  concerning  a  balance  of  power 
between  churches  and  church-officers,  is  wholly  super- 
fluous. Church-officers  and  church-members  are  but 
parts  of  one  whole  ;  their  actings  are  joint  and  mu- 
tual. 


CHAPTER    IV. 

MEMBERSHIP    IN    A    CHURCH. 

As  the  result  of  our  investigation  thus  far,  we  have 
before  our  minds  a  collection  of  avowed  believers  in 
Christ,  composing  a  church  with  its  two  classes  of 
officers,  in  accordance  with  its  spiritual  and  secular 
necessities,  and  those  of  individuals  belonging  to  it. 
We  have,  also,  seen  that  the  body,  thus  organized,  has 
in  it  all  the  elements  of  church  action. 

We  now  inquire  for  the  principles  which  regulate 
membership  in  a  church. 

Church  membership,  a  duty  of  believers  in 
Christ.  —  Membership  in  a  church  is,  ordinarily,  a 
duty  incumbent  on  believers  in  Christ.  This  appears, 
however,  not  from  any  command  of  Christ ;  for  no 
such  command  is  found.  A  direct  command  was, 
evidently,  not  necessary  in  order  to  make  known  his 
will.  If  his  will  in  this  respect  is  necessarily  indi- 
cated in  his  general  instructions  to  his  followers,  and 
is  necessarily  involved  in  the  very  design  of  his  relig- 
(70 


72  CHURCH    POLITY. 

ion,  the  result  Is  not  only  just  as  surely  gained,  but  is 
gained  in  a  manner  that  prevents  embarrassment.  A 
preceptive  declaration  of  his  will  might,  perhaps,  leave 
less  scope  for  a  free,  affectionate  obedience  resulting 
from  those  spiritual  impulses  which  have  been  set  in 
operation  by  the  renovation  of  the  soul.  A  command 
on  this  subject  would,  also,  have  been  liable  to  various 
exceptions.  Still,  it  was  our  Lord's  will  that  his  fol- 
lowers should  be  associated  together  in  the  capacity 
of  churches,  the  members  of  which  should  sustain  to 
one  another  peculiar  relations. 

This  is  involved  in  many  of  his  declarations  and  in- 
structions ;  for  these  would  lose  their  force  on  a  differ- 
ent supposition.  He  has,  for  instance,  required  his 
disciples  to  be  baptized  as  his  followers  and  to  observe 
all  things  which  he  had  commanded  his  apostles  to 
teach-  them  ;  he  also  made  a  marked  distinction  be- 
tween his  disciples  and  other  men,  who  are  denomi- 
nated the  ivorld;  he  has  likewise  enjoined  on  his  fol- 
lowers, as  characteristic  of  them,  mutual  affection. 
That  believers  in  Christ  should  be  thus  united  together 
was,  evldentl}^,  the  view  of  the  apostles,  and  was  the 
practice,  ordinarily.  In  the  apostolic  times.  That  It  is 
a  duty  appears,  also,  from  the  fact  that  the  Christian 


MEMBERSHIP    IN    A    CHURCH.  73 

spirit  n:itnrnlly  and  almost  irresistibly  tends  to  this; 
and  that,  without  this,  the  institutions  of  Christianity 
would  not  be  maintained  and  diiiused. 

That  membership  in  the  earliest  churches  was  not  a 
merely  casual  circumstance  of  connection  with  a 
changeable  assemblage  of  such  Christians  as  might 
reside  in  the  vicinity  of  each  other,  but  was  of  a  per- 
manent character,  with  a  binding  force  on  the  members 
and  involving  special  mutual  relations  among  them, 
appears  from  the  fact  that  business  imposing  obliga- 
tion for  time  to  come  was  performed  by  them,  and  that 
they  were  instructed  to  use  stringent  measures,  if  neces- 
sary, for  preserving  the  moral  purity  of  the  members. 

Admission  to  Membership  in  a  Church.  —  The 
principles  which  regulated  admission  to  membership 
in  a  church,  subsequently  to  its  entering  on  church- 
action,  were  substantially  the  same  as  w^ere  involved  in 
its  formation.  It  was  formed  of  believers  in  Jesus 
who  had  avowed,  through  baptism  in  his  name,  their 
reception  of  him  as  their  Saviour  and  Lord,  and  pro- 
fessed their  subjection  of  themselves  to  his  religion. 
For  admission  at  a  subsequent  time  into  their  com- 
pany, it  was  requisite  that  a  person  should  be,  in  like 
manner,  a  believer  in  Jesus  and  avow,  by  baptism,  his 
7 


74  CHURCH    POLITY. 

faith  in  Him.  Thus  it  is  stated  in  Acts  ii.  41,  that 
"  they  who  gladly  received  the  instructions  of  the 
apostle  concerning  Jesus,  as  the  promised  Messiah  and 
Saviour,  w^ere  baptized ;  and  there  were  added  about 
three  thousand  souls."  During  the  apostolic  age,  those 
persons  who  embraced  the  doctrine  that  Jesus  was  the 
Son  of  God  and  the  Saviour,  and  were  baptized  in 
his  name,  that  is,  acknowledging  him  in  that  act  as 
being  what  the  apostles  claimed  for  him,  became  mem- 
bers of  a  church.* 

§  Simplicity  of  the  requisites  for  church  fnem- 
bership.  —  It  here  requires  distinct  notice  that  at  first 
the  acknowledging  of  Jesus  Christ  as  the  Son  of  God 
and  the  Saviour,  with  the  avowal,  expressed  or  im- 
plied, of  serious  purpose  to  live  according  to  his 
religion,  was  all  that  was  required  for  baptism  and 

*  Compare  Acts  ii.  36,  38,  i  John  iv.  15.  A  direct  passage 
on  this  point,  in  our  English  version,  so  far  as  baptism  is 
concerned,  is  Acts  viii.  37,  ''And  Philip  said,  If  thou  believest 
with  all  thine  heart,  thou  mayest  [be  baptized].  And  he 
answered  and  said,  I  believe  that  Jesus  is  the-  Son  of  God." 
But  the  genuineness  of  this  verse  is  questionable,  as  it  is 
rfot  found  in  the  best  manuscripts. 


MEMBERSHIP    IN    A    CHURCH.  75 

membership  in  a  church.     That  so  simple  a  requisi- 
tion was  considered  adequate,  is  sufficiently  accounted 
for  by  its    comprehensiveness.     To    avow    this  truth 
was,  virtually,  to  avow  the   Christian  religion ;  to  be 
baptized  as  a  believer  in  Jesus  was  a  public  embrac- 
ing of  his  religion  ;  it  involved  the  profession  of  peni- 
tence, of  trust  in  him,  and  of  the  purpose  to  lead  a  life 
of  righteousness  in  accordance  with  this  religion.     It 
was  justly  taken  for  granted,  since  persons  were  ad- 
mitted to  the  Christian  profession,  not  as  being  already 
thoroughly  instructed  and  mature,  but  as  having  com- 
menced  the   Christian  life,  that   the  teachable   spirit 
which  was  shown  in  embracing  the  first  principles,  or 
elements,  of  this  religion  would  admit  all  its  truths, 
both  doctrinal  and  practical. 

It  should  be  borne  in  mind,  too,  that  at  that  time 
every  man,  with  inconsiderable  exceptions,  professed 
some  religion,  whether  the  Pagan,  or  the  Jewish,  or 
the  Christian.  If  he  were  not  a  Christian,  he  was  an 
adherent  of  some  other  religion.  If  he  professed  to 
believe  in  Jesus,  he  believed  in  him  distinctively,  as 
the  Head  of  a  distinct  religion,  and  embraced  that 
religion  ;  in  other  words,  he  embraced  the  whole  sys- 
tem'of  Christian  faith  and  practice  to  the  discarding 


76  CHURCH    POLITY. 

of  Other  systems.  To  believe  in  Christ  amounts,  in 
the  sense  of  the  New  Testament,  to  a  sincere  and  prac- 
tical adoption  of  the  Christian  religion. 

It  must,  also,  be  taken  into  account,  that  Christianity 
is  not  so  much  a  system  of  doctrine,  as  a  system  of 
life.  The  intellect  is,  indeed,  concerned  in  it ;  but 
much  more  the  heart.  Since  then  a  right  moral  dis- 
position was  involved  in  the  declaration  of  faith  in 
Christ  as  the  Son  of  God,  such  a  declaration  met  the 
demands  of  the  case. 

§  The  origmal  requisites  still  i7i  force.  —  The  rule 
which  regulated  admission  into  the  earliest  churches, 
is  of  permanent  force.  Personal  faith  in  Christ  as  the 
Saviour,  and  Lord,  is  the  prime  requisite  ;  and  the  next 
is  baptism,  as  the  avowal  of  that  faith,  Matt,  xxviii.  19, 
and  as  the  recognition  of  the  death  and  resurrection  of 
Christ,  and  of  the  believer's  spiritual  renovation  by 
virtue  of  Christ's  death  and  resurrection,  Rom.  vi.  3, 
4;  Col.  ii.  11,12;   I  Pet.  iii.  21.*     A  person  who  gives 

*  Thus  full  of  meaning,  in  its  original  intent,  is  baptism, 
acknowledging  those  cardinal  truths  of  the  Christian  system, 
which,  almost  by  necessity,  involve  the  rest,  and  those  feel- 
ings towards  Christ,  which  involve  entire  Christian  character. 


MEMBERSHIP    IN    A    CHURCH.  77 

a  church  satisfactory  evidence  of  being  a  believer  in  the 
Christian  system  of  religion,  and  who  has  in  baptism 
avowed  himself  a  believer,  is  suitable  to  be  welcomed 
into  its  membership.  The  manner  of  obtaining  this 
evidence,  and  the  circumstances  connected  with  his 
reception  into  membership,  may,  of  course,  be  indefi- 
nitely various,  according  as  a  wise  expediency  may 
direct. 

We  have  no  evidence  that,  at  first,  any  particular 
mode  of  proceeding  was  observed  in  procuring  evi- 
dence of  Christian  character  ;  or,  that  a  church  went 
through  some  process  of  formal  action  on  a  request 
for  admission.  No  particular  method  was,  at  that 
time,  necessary,  however  necessary  or  expedient  it 
might  have  become  in  subsequent  times.  Originally, 
a  readiness  to  profess  one's  self  a  believer  in  Christ 
was  sufficient  to  secure  for  him  a  welcome  into  the 
Christian  brotherhood.  And  yet,  even  thus  early, 
cases  like  that  of  Saul  of  Tarsus  might  arise,  in  which 
there  would  be  grounds  for  withholding  confidence  in 
a  person's  sincerity,  so  that  special  evidence  might  be 
requisite  that  he  had  really  become  a  believer.  Like- 
wise, in  the  altered  circumstances  which  the  progress 
of  events  occasioned,  the  simple  declaration  of  a  per- 
7* 


7$  CHURCH    POLITY. 

son  that  he  had  become  a  Christian,  would  not  contain 
so  much  evidence  of  sincerity  as  formerly,  and,  conse- 
quently, some  formal  process  might  be  deemed  suita- 
ble, if  not  necessary,  as  preliminary  to  his  reception. 

Mutual  Relation  of  Members  of  a  Church, 
AND  Duties  Springing  from  it.  —  This  relation  is 
that  of  brethren  in  Christ,  acknowledging  him,  in 
common,  as  their  Teacher,  Saviour,  and  Lord,  asso- 
ciated by  a  conscientious  regard  to  his  will,  by  a  com- 
mon sympathy  growing  out  of  their  connection  with 
Christ,  and  by  desires,  in  common,  for  the  spiritual 
welfare  of  men  and  for  the  extension  of  the  gospel.* 

This  relation  embraces  the  spiritual  concerns  alone, 
of  those  who  are  united  in  it,  except  cases  of  affliction, 
appealing  to  the  sympathies  of  persons  united  by  the 
bond  of  a  common  faith  and  mutual  love,  and  by  spec- 
ial connection  in  "the  same  portion  of  the  Christian 
brotherhood. 

*  The  nature  of  this  relation  shows  the  necessity  of  cordi- 
ality on  the  part  of  a  church  in  reference  to  the  admission  of 
a  candidate  for  membership.  The  admission  of  a  person 
against  the  judgment  of  even  a  small  minority,  puts  at  haz- 
ard an  essential  element  in  a  church,  namely,  the  mutual 
Christian  fellowship  of  its  members. 


MEMBERSHIP    IN    A    CHURCH.  79 

Beyond  the  pale  of  their  spiritual  concerns  is  an  in- 
definite number  of  subjects  on  which  they  may  differ 
from  each  other  in  opinion  and  action,  and  respecting 
which,  their  church  relation  requires  them  to  cherish 
only  mutual  charity.  Matters  of  opinion,  aside  from 
those  which  are  settled  by  inspiration,  and  which  are 
therefore,  not  properly  subjects  for  human  judgment, 
may  be  regarded  by  members  of  the  same  church  with 
every  shade  of  diversity,  without  impairing  mutual 
Christian  love,  or  disturbing  their  mutual  church 
relation. 

§  Duties  springing  from  this  relation, — These 
may  be  embraced  under  the  following  heads  : 

1.  Fellowship  of  each  other,  as  avowed  disciples 
of  Christ,  forming  together  a  part  of  the  Christian 
brotherhood. 

2.  Sympathy  with  one  another  in  trials  and  sor- 
rows, and  readiness  to  minister  to  one  another's  neces- 
sities. 

3.  Conceding  to  one  another  liberty  of  judgment 
and  action  in  all  matters  respecting  which  diversities, 
are  consistent  with  Christian  character  and  duty.  On 
many  subjects  different  opinions  may  be  held,  and 
dilTerent  courses  of  conduct  be  pursued,  by  members  of 


So  ciiUKcii   I'oi.rrv. 

the  same  church,  while  at  the  same  time  they  cherish 
a  strict  regard  to  the  will  of  Christ  and  to  the  good  of 
the  church. 

4.  Fraternal  watchfulness  over  one  another,  and 
readiness  to  caution  and  reclaim  a  member  who  vio- 
lates his  Christian  obligations. 

5.  Union  in  public  worship,  and  cooperation 
in  eflbrts  for  the  prosperity  and  usefulness  of  the 
church. 

TERMINATION  OF  MEMBERSHIP.  —  From  the  nature 
of  the  case,  membership  in  a  church,  originating  in 
obligation  to  Christ,  designed  to  aid  directly  in  a  per- 
son's becoming  prepared  for  heaven,  and  to  perpetuate 
the  Saviour's  arrangements  for  the  spiritual  welfare  of 
mankind,  is  of  a  permanent  character.  It  is  properly 
terminated  only  by  death,  or  by  exclusion  on  the  part 
of  a  church  for  justifiable  reasons. 

The  voluntary  removal  of  a  member  from  one 
church  to  another,  may  also  be  called  a  terminating  of 
his  connection  with  the  former  church  ;  but  this  is 
only  a  transfer  of  his  connection  from  one  churcli  to 
another.  In  point  of  theory,  the  connection  with  a 
church  is  not  dissolved;  since  he  retains  his  connec- 
tion with  the  former  till  he  has  become  united  to  the 
hitter. 


MEMBERSHIP    IN    A    CHURCH.  8 1 

§  A  Church  possesses  the  power  of  exclusion.  — 
That  the  power  of  exchision  is  possessed  by  a  church, 
may  be  inferred  from  the  Saviour's  direction  in  Matt, 
xviii.  17  ;  "  If  he  neglect  to  hear  the  church,  let  him 
be  unto  thee  as  an  heathen  man  and  a  publican  ; " 
and  is  evident  from  Scriptural  example,  as  in  i  Cor. 
V.  3-5,  1 1-13,  the  last  clause  of  which  passage  is,  "  Put 
away  from  among  yourselves  that  wicked  person." 
This  power  is  necessary  also,  to  a  church  for  its  self-pro- 
tection ;  without  it,  elements  dangerous  to  the  church's 
efficiency,  and  threatening  even  its  existence  as  a  spir- 
itual community,  would  be  retained,  and  the  very 
design  of  the  establishment  of  churches  might  be  not 
only  frustrated,  but  perverted. 

§  Nature  and  design  of  exclusiojz  from  a  Church, 
Exclusion  is  the  highest  censure  which  a  church  can 
pass.  But  as  a  church  is  a  spiritual  community,  such 
an  act  inflicts  no  civil  penalties  ;  it  is  not  designed  to 
affect  a  person's  civil  rights  or  standing.  It  does,  in- 
deed, often  impair  a  person's  standing  in  the  civil 
community  ;  but  this  result  rather  flows  from  his  loss 
of  reputation,  than  from  his  loss  of  a  place  in  a  church, 
and  is  an  indirect  consequence  of  the  exclusion  when 


82  CHURCH    POLITY. 

such  an  act  is  justly  performed  ;  a  consequence,  foi 
which  the  person  himself,  not  the  church,  is  responsi- 
ble. 

This  act  regards  the  person  as  a  moral  being,  who 
has  avowed  subjection  to  the  Lord  Jesus,  and  has 
united  himself  to  a  church  for  spiritual  benefit  to  him- 
self and  usefulness  to  others.  It  is  intended  to  bear  on 
his  conscience,  and  to  preserve  the  purity  of  the 
Christian  cause.  Church  discipline,  both  in  its 
lower  and  its  higher  degrees,  besides  aiming  to  re- 
move unsound  and  dangerous  elements,  should  be 
regarded,  also,  as  of  a  reclaiming  nature,  not  as  cut- 
ting off  the  hope  of  recovery  to  righteousness  and  to 
union  with  the  Saviour's  people.  It  is  not  an  act  of 
vengeance,  designed  mainly  to  inflict  pain,  to  bring  a 
professed  Christian  into  disrepute,  or  to  make  him  a 
public  example  ;  it  has  a  supreme  regard  to  the  glory 
of  Christ,  and  its  purpose  should  be,  that  the  offender's 
"  spirit  may  be  saved  in  the  day  of  the  Lord  Jesus." 
I  Cor.  v.  5.  The  act  of  exclusion  should  not  be  per- 
formed until  the  hope  of  a  good  result,  without 
resorting  to  this  extreme  measure,  can  be  no  longer 
reasonably  indulged,  unless  such  scandal  has  been 
cast    on   the    Christian    name  as    requires    the   most 


MEMBERSHIP    IN    A    CHURCH.  S3 

prompt  and  utter,  as  well  as  decided,  disapprobation. 
Nor,  even  In  cases  apparently  hopeless,  should  the 
merciful  design  of  church  censure  be  forgotten,  for, 
while  life  lasts,  we  should  not  wholly  despair  of  a 
happy  result  to  the  divinely  appointed  methods  of 
instruction  and  reproof. 

It  hardly  needs  be  added,  that  a  church,  when 
called  to  this  extreme  act  of  censure,  should  proceed 
with  a  very  devout  and  tender  spirit.  Personal  feel- 
ing of  an  unfavorable  character  on  the  part  of  any 
members,  should  be  laid  aside  ;  and  solicitude  for  the 
glory  of  Christ,  for  the  purity  and  usefulness  of  the 
church,  and  for  the  highest  good  of  the  offender, 
should  pervade  the  transaction. 

§  Cases  requiring  exclusion.  —  The  following 
cases,  according  to  scriptural  precept  or  example,  re- 
quire exclusion  from  a  church. 

I.  Personal  offences  which  after  suitable  endeav- 
ors are  not  brought  to  a  satisfactory  issue. 

Thus,  our  Lord  in  Matt,  xvili.  15-17,  directs  the 
injured  party,  in  the  case  of  one  brother's  doing  wrong 
to  another,  first  to  seek  a  private  interview  for  adjust- 
ing the  dlf^culty.     Should  he   fail  in  this  attempt  at 


84  CHURCH    POLITY.    «> 

reconciliation,  he  is  to  take  one,  or  two,  with  him,  in 
hope  of  succeeding  by  their  aid.  The  subordinate 
object,  also,  is  gained  by  taking  with  him  one  or  two 
persons,  that  they  will  be  able  to  testify  in  the  case, 
should  witnesses  be  needed.  If  this  second  endeavor 
fail,  the  case  is  to  be  laid  before  the  church  and  by 
their  interposition  a  reconciliation  is  to  be  sought. 
Should  the  effort  of  the  church  fail,  the  offender  is  to 
be  regarded  "  as  an  heathen  man  and  a  publican," 
that  is,  as  unsuitable  for  religious  fellowship. 

This  direction  of  our  Lord  to  an  injured  individual 
is  reasonably  held  to  involve  the  duty  of  the  church  to 
separate  the  offender  from  membership  with  them. 

2.  The  commission  of  immoralities.  In  i  Cor. 
fifth  chapter,  the  apostles  specifies  several  violations 
of  morality,  the  commission  of  which,  by  a  church 
member,  would  render  him  unsuitable  to  be  retained 
in  the  Christian  company.  By  parity  of  reason, 
the  commission  of  similar  immoralities  subjects  the 
offender  to  exclusion. 

A  process  of  action  in  such  cases  is  not  given  by  the 
apostle.  The  direction  in  Matt,  xviii.  15-17,  is  not 
applicable,  since  the  oflencc  is  not  personal,  not  affect- 


MEMBERSHIP    IN    A    CHURCH.  85 

ing  so  much  any  one  Christian  brother,  as  the  whole 
church  to  wliich  the  individual  belongs,  or  the  general 
cause  of  religion.  As  soon  as  a  person's  guilt  in  such 
cases  is  ascertained,  the  apostle's  direction  would  re- 
quire that  he  be  excluded,  unless,  as  we  may  fairly 
believe,  a  sufficient  reason  appear  for  barring,  or  de- 
laying, the  judgment  of  the  church.  What  would  be 
a  sufficient  reason  cannot  be  stated  abstractly  :  it  must 
depend  on  the  circumstances  of  a  case. 

It  is  reasonable,  that  diilerences  between  immoral- 
ities should  be  taken  into  consideration  ;  some  being 
more  hazardous  to  public  morality,  and  more  re- 
proachful, than  others ;  in  respect  to  some,  the  evi- 
dence of  genuine  sorrow  for  the  commission  of  them 
being  less  easy  to  procure,  than  in  respect  to  others ; 
and  profession  of  sorrow  in  respect  to  some  being  so 
much  more  l"cady,  and  so  much  less  reliable,  than  in 
respect  to  others.  The  sacredness  of  religion,  and  the 
demands  of  a  high-toned  morality  in  a  community, 
are  justly  to  be  taken  into  account :  and  in  some  carses 
of  immorality,  instant  exclusion  would  be  required, 
while  a  deferring  of  the  final  act  would  be  suitable  in 
others.  Violations  of  sexual  morality  are  best  met  by 
immediate  exclusion,  because  such  crimes  are  so  ab- 
8 


S6  ciiriun   roi.rrv. 

horrent  to  religion,  and  so  deiuily  to  the  moral  inter- 
ests of  society  :  innnediate  exclusion  in  such  cases,  on 
the  ascertainment  of  the  crime,  has  nnicli  justilicatliin 
in  the  tlirection  of  the  a]-)(istle,  i  Cor.  v.  3-5,  to  sejxi- 
rate  at  once  IrDm  the  Christian  brotherhood  the  incest- 
uous man. 

Other  instances  of  immorality  may  require  the 
same  prompt  judgment ;  and  all  violations  of  morality 
require  instant  attention  on  tlie  part  of  a  chinch. 
Promptness,  in  such  cases,  in  order  to  ascertain  the 
facts,  and  the  necessary  discontinuance  of  a  person's 
good  standing  during  the  investigation,  go  far  towards 
vindicating  the  purity  of  religion  ami  the  honor  of  a 
church. 

3.  The  7}2ai)itai)ii)ig  of  ruinous  errors.  —  Accord- 
ing to  I  Tim.  i.  19,  20,  the  apostle  hael  removed  from 
the  Christian  company  IIymcna:us  and  Alexander, 
\vho  had  abandoned  the  faith.  From  a  second  refer- 
ence to  Ilymenasus,  in  3  Tim.  ii.  17,  iS,  it  appears 
that  they  had  openly  maintained  error  in  regard  to  the 
resurrection,  greatly  to  the  injury  of  the  Christian 
cause.  This  doctrine  was  so  intimately  connected 
with  the  Christian  system  (compare  1  Cor.  xv.  i2-i^), 


MKMBtRSHII'    IS    A    CIIUHCK.  S/ 

tliat  a  denial  of  it  was  fraught  with  harm.  Incon.se- 
qvieiicc  of  tlieir  teaching  this  error,  and  thereby  "  over- 
throwing the  faitli  of  some,"  they  were  regarded  as 
unworthy  of  the  Christian  name,  and  were  by  the 
apostle  "  delivered  unto  Satan,"*  as  belonging,  not  to 

♦  The  delivcrinj^  over  to  Satan  of  a  transgressor  who  had 
professed  to  be  a  follower  of  Christ,  was  pecuh'arly  an  apos- 
tolic act,  *'  in  the  name,  and  with  the  power  of  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ."  I  Cor.  v.  4.  That  act  was  followed  by  various  prov- 
idential inflictions  of  suffering,  as  would  appear  from  i  Cor. 
V.  5,  where  the  expression  occurs,  "  for  the  destruction  of  the 
flesh."  That  an  apostle's  denunciation  of  gross  oflfences 
against  Christ,  was  followed  by  physical  suffering,  sometimes 
by  sickness,  sometimes  even  by  death,  is  evident  from  the 
case  of  Ananias  and  Sapphira,  Acts  v.  5,  10,  who  were  smitten 
with  death;  the  case  of  Elymas  the  sorcerer,  Acts  xiii.  11, 
who  walk  struck  with  blindness.  The  case  of  the  Corinthians, 
I  Cor.  i.  30,  was  a  similar  one,  many  of  whom  in  conse- 
quence of  abuses  of  the  Lord's  supper  had  been  subjected  to 
sickness,  and  many  to  death.  Though  this  strong  expression, 
to  deliver  unto  Satan  I  might  seem  to  indicate  an  utter  and 
a  final  abandonment  of  a  transgressor  to  Satan,  the  agent  of 
evil  and  misery,  as  not  belonging  to  the  body  of  Christ,  yet 
the  accompanying  language  in  i  Tim.  i.  20,  and  i  Cor.  v.  5, 
shows  that  the  apostolic   act  was    indendcd    to   be  remedial: 


S8  CHURCH    POLITY. 

Christ,  but  to  Satan,  "  the  God  of  this  world,"  2  Cor. 
iv.  4,  "the  spirit  that  worketh  in  the  children  of  diso- 
bedience," Eph.  ii.  3. 

Caution,  however,  is  eminently  necessary  in  treat- 
ing cases  of  religious  error,  since  error  is  of  various  de- 
grees, and  its  injurious  tendencies  also  are  variable. 
A  distinction  is  to  be  made  betw^een  errors'  whose  ten- 
dency is  evidently  and  directly  ruinous,  and  those 
which  are  of  less  hurtful  tendency.  Regard  should, 
also,  be  had  to  the  conduct  of  a  person  who  has  im- 
bibed erroneous  opinions.  Members  who  embrace 
serious  errors  are  sometimes  disposed  to  make  them 
matters  of  frequent  conversation,  or  in  other  ways  to 
seek   their  extension,  while    some  maintain  a  prudent 

the  sentence  was  pronounced  in  hope  that  the  transgressor 
would  be  reclaimed,  or  at  least  that  the  offence  would  not  be 
repeated.  In  the  case  of  the  incestuous  Corinthian,  the  ul- 
timate aim  was  that  "  the  spirit  might  be  saved ;  "  in  the  case 
of  Hjmenjeus  and  Alexander,  that  they  might  become  sen- 
sible of  the  evil  of  their  deeds,  and  "  learn  not  to  blaspheme." 
Whether  the  reform  would  result  from  their  bitter  experience, 
of  being  delivered  up  to  Satan,  or  whether  this  experience 
would  be  forestalled  by  timely  repentance,  does  not  appear. 

This  formula  was  not  employed  in  the  early  centuries  suc- 
ceeding the  apostolic  age;  the  power  which  it  implied  was 
doubtless  restricted  to  the  apostles. 


MEMBERSHIP    IN    A    CHURCH.  89 

silence,  determined  not  to  disturb  the  harmony  of  the 
church.  By  improper  treatment,  too,  error  is  matured, 
and  the  mole-hill  becomes  a  mountain.  Some  r^'gard 
should,  also,  be  had  to  the  existing  state  of  religious 
opinions  in  a  community  ;  for  in  some  regions  a  par- 
ticular error  might  have  but  little,  if  any,  influence, 
while  in  others  it  might  be  extremely  pernicious. 

But  while  caution  should  be  exercised,  it  is  obvious 
that  if  a  member  maintain  opinions  directly  at  variance 
with  those  which  the  church  regards  as  vital,  and  if 
his  conduct  in  reference  to  those  opinions  be  such  as 
to  bring  the  church  into  peril,  the  church  may  justly 
refuse  to  continue  him  in  its  membership.  Any  asso- 
ciation of  men  would  claim  such  a  right.  It  is  neces- 
sary to  self-protection.  Besides,  excommunication, 
not  being  in  the  least  a  civil  act,  inflicts  no  disabilities 
as  to  a  man's  intercourse  with  society ;  it  does  not 
hinder  him  from  declaring,  or  disseminating,  his  pe- 
culiar views :  it  only  hinders  him  from  having  the 
apparent  sanction  of  a  church,  and  relieves  the  church 
from  any  troublesome  interference,  for  which,  if  he 
were  a  member,  he  might  have  opportunities.  And 
thus  the  right  of  private  judgment  is  not  invaded : 
for  it  is  presumed  that  the  individual  holding  serious 
8* 


90  CHURCH    POLITY. 

errors,  maintains  them  to  the  detriment  of  the  Chris- 
tian cause.  Should  he  retain  them  in  his  own  breast, 
the  QfLse  would  be  different.  As  the  minds  of  men 
are  not  to  be  trammelled,  it  is  impossible  to  say  to 
what  extent  members  may  hold  peculiar  views,  pro- 
vided they  do  not  hazard  the  welfare  of  the  church, 
but  continue  to  be  peaceable  and  useful  members. 

4.  T/ie  creatiftg  of  dissensions  and  parties.  — 
The  apostle  gave  the  direction  to  Titus,  iii.  10,  "  A 
man  that  is  a  heretic,  after  the  first  and  second  admo- 
nition, reject."  A  heretic,  in  the  Scriptural  sense  of 
the  word,  is  a  man  who,  whether  by  false  doctrines, 
or  other  means,  creates  parties  in  a  church,  unfavora- 
ble to  its  interests.  The  idea  of  a  Christian  church  in- 
volves union  and  fellowship  of  spirit :  a  temper  and 
course  of  conduct  leading  to  dissensions,  is,  therefore, 
at  variance  with  an  essential  principle  of  church- 
membership.  A  member,  then,  whose  conduct  tends 
to  array  one  portion  of  a  church  against  another, 
would,  after  being  suitably  admonished,  be  justly 
liable  to  exclusion. 

§  General  remark.  —  Few  cases,  requiring  or  jus- 
tifying  exclusion,  occur    in    the    history  of  churches, 


MEMBERSHIP    IN    A    ClIURCII.  9! 

which  may  not  be  ranked  under  one,  or  another,  of 
those  now  mentioned.  A  general  rem.ark  must,  how- 
ever, be  added,  in  accordance  with  2  Thess.  iii.  6, 
"  Now  we  command  you,  brethren,  in  the  name  of 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  that  ye  withdraw  yourselves 
from  every  brother  that  walketh  disorderly,  and  not 
after  the  tradition  which  he  received  of  us  :  "  namely, 
that  continuance  in  conduct  which  is  inconsistent  with 
the  character  of  Christians  as  being  the  people  of 
God,  and  separate  from  the  world,  and  which  is  con- 
sequently inconsistent  with  Christian  fellowship,  re- 
quires a  church  to  separate  from  its  membership  a 
person  thus  disregarding  his  Christian  obligations. 


CHAPTER  V. 

MUTUAL     RELATION     OF     CHURCHES. ASSOCIATIONS 

OF   CHURCHES.  ECCLESIASTICAL    COUNCILS. 

We  have  thus  far  been  contemplating  a  single  church 
of  Christ,  as  a  deliberative  and  executive  body,  con- 
ducting its  own  affairs  in  subordination  to  the  vv^ill  of 
its  sovereign  Head,  and  paying  deference  to  the 
apostles  of  Christ  w^henever  it  could  receive  theii 
counsel  and  guidance.  Such  a  body  was  obviously, 
in  its  proper  sphere,  independent  of  extraneous  human 
control  and  responsible  solely  to  Christ. 

§  Churches  multiply :  each  complete  Z7i  itself  and 
i7idepe7ide7it.  —  Very  soon  in  the  history  of  Christian 
affairs,  as  recorded  in  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles,  many 
such  bodies  are  found.  To  each  one  of  these  belong 
alike  the  characteristics  which  have  been  mentioned. 
Each,  then,  is  an  independent  body.  Each  one,  own- 
ing spiritual  allegiance  only  to  Christ,  is  independent 
not  only  of  any  external  power  different  in  nature 
from  itself,  but  also,  so  far  as  rights  and  authority  are 
(92) 


MUTUAL    RELATION    OF    CHURCHES.  93 

concerned,  of  every  other  similar  body  ;  that  is,  of  ev^ry 
other  church.  No  one  of  these  can  properly  control 
another,  as  if  superior  to  it  in  point  of  authority  ;  no 
one  of  them  is  responsible  to  another,  as  if  subordinate 
to  it.  They  are  alike  responsible  to  Christ  for  their 
acts.  Subordination  in  regard  to  one  another  finds  no 
2)lace  among  them.  They  are  independent  bodies ; 
independent,  in  their  appropriate  sphere,  of  the  civil 
power,  independent  of  one  another,  independent  of 
any  human  central  authority  vested  either  in  an  indi- 
vidual, or  in  an  organized  board,  or  in  an  assembly. 

Such  is  the  view  to  which  the  New  Testament  leads 
us.  We  read  of  church  in  various  cities,  as  Jerusaelm, 
Antioch,  Ephesus,  and  others ;  also  in  various  dis- 
tricts and  provinces,  as  Judea,  Samaria,  Galilee,  Gala- 
tia,  and  others.  But,  in  all  the  notices  occurring  in  the 
New  Testament,  we  find  not  the  slightest  intimation 
of  a  dependence  for  church  action  of  one  on  another ; 
each  appears  by  itself  an  acting  body,  complete  in 
itself  for  all  the  purposes  of  its  organization.  We 
find  not  the  slightest  intimation  of  any  superiority,  as 
to  authority,  of  one  above  another,  or  of  the  existence 
of  any  central  authority  guiding  the  whole,  or  a  por- 
tion,   of    these    churches.      Each    is    addressed   as   a 


94  CHURCH    POLITY. 

separate  company,  competent  to  decisions  and  arrange- 
ments as  to  its  affairs.  Even  the  deference  which  was 
paid  to  the  apostles  was  not  claimed,  nor  the  authority 
which  warranted  it,  exercised,  by  the  ajDostles  in  a 
way  which  would  interfere  with  freedom  of  action  on 
the  part  of  churches  ;  nor  was  it  accorded  to  apostles 
by  the  churches  in  a  combined  capacity,  but  by  each 
one  for  itself.  No  occasion  arose,  during  the  period 
covered  by  the  New  Testament  history,  requiring 
churches  to  combine  for  any  purposes.* 

§  Distinction  as  to  independence  between  churches 
of  Christ  and  jfewish  Synagogues.  —  A  striking  dif- 
ference in  this  respect  is  observable  between  churches 
of  Christ,  as  exhibited  in  the  New  Testament,  and  the 
Jev^ish  synagogues.  These  synagogues,  though  sepa- 
rate from  one  another,  attending  to  their  own  internal 
and  local  concerns,  yet  held  themselves  in  subordina- 
tion to  a  central  power,  the  Sanhedrim,  in  Jerusalem  ; 

*  The  contribution  for  the  relief  of  Christians  at  Jerusalem, 
made  up  by  the  Christians  of  Macedonia  and  Achaia,  Rom. 
XV.  26,  may  perhaps  be  regarded  as  a  united  effort.  But  we 
have  no  evidence  that  the  churches  concerned  entered  into  a 
formal  combination  for  the  purpose. 


MUTUAL    RELATION    OF    CHURCHES.  95 

to  that  power  they  were  responsible,  and  it  was  felt 
throughout  the  synagogues.  The  Sanhedrim  was  the 
central  Board  of  Judaism,  the  supreme  visible  author- 
ity to  which  Jews,  individuall}',  and  the  synagogues 
all  over  the  world  looked  as  their  spiritual  centre. 

Nothing  of  this  kind  in  respect  to  Christian  churches 
appears  in  the  New  Testament.  Churches  appear 
there,  however  numerous  they  became,  as  acting  in 
their  separate  capacity  without  recognizing  depend- 
ence on,  or  responsibility  to,  any  superior  earthly 
power.  It  was  intended,  as  it  would  seem,  that  they 
should  stand  in  immediate  connection  with  Christ  as 
their  Head,  their  Life,  without  any  mediating  indi- 
vidual, or  body,  between  them  and  Him ;  just  as 
each  individual  Christian  is  to  come  into  immediate 
communion  w^ith  Him.  Christianity,  being  the  final 
religious  dispensation  for  man,  and  designed  for  pro- 
ducing and  maintaining  the  maturity  of  mankind, 
treats  its  individual  recipients  as  capable  of  sustaining 
themselves,  in  all  spiritual  concerns,  by  virtue  of  their 
union  with  Christ ;  and  in  like  manner,  it  treats  each 
church  collection  of  its  recipients  as  capable  of  con- 
ducting all  the  matters  pertaining  to  a  church  by  the 
wisdom  and  piety  of  those  who  compose  it. 


96  CHURCH    POLITY. 

-  §  Churches  have  7'elat ions  to  one  another.  —  While 
churches  are,  according  to  the  New  Testament  view, 
thus  independent,  as  to  rights  and  privileges,  both 
of  one  another  and  of  any  human  power,  they  are, 
notwithstanding,  intimately  related  to  one  another,  and 
are  mutually  dependent  for  the  highest  enjoyment  of 
the  Christian  religion,  and  for  the  highest  efficiency 
in  laboring  for  their  appropriate  ends.  Independence 
is  not  isolation,  in  churches  any  more  than  in  families, 
or  towns.  Each  of  these  qualities,  independence  and 
dependence,  is  in  the  most  healthful  state  when  due 
regard  is  paid  to  each  ;  in  order  to  the  due  operation 
of  either,  the  other  must  have  its  full  exercise. 

What,  then,  is  the  relation  of  churches,  viewed  in 
the  light  of  the  New  Testament,  to  one  another? 

The  vital  principle  of  each  church,  as  of  each  Chris- 
tian, is  love  to  Christ ;  a  love  which  binds  churches, 
as  well  as  individual  disciples,  to  each  other  in  spirit- 
ual affection  and  in  efforts  for  promoting  the  Saviour's 
cause.  This  vital  principle,  common  to  all  these 
bodies,  brings  them,  of  course,  into  such  union  with 
one  another  as  their  mutual  interests  and  their  obliga- 
tions to   Christ   require.     It   is  a  far    more    effective 


MUTUAL    RELATION    OF    CHURCHES.  97 

princiiDle  of  relationship  than  any  external,  or  conven- 
tional, bond. 

Their  mutual  relation,  then,  is  the  fraternal  one  of 
independent  bodies,  pervaded  by  the  same  spirit, 
acknowledging  the  same  substantial  doctrines,  having 
the  same  ends  and  the  same  interests.  Their  common 
spirit,  doctrines,  ends,  and  interests  w^ill  attract  them 
to  each  other. 

§  Duties  hzvolved  in  this  relatio7iship.  —  This  re- 
lationship involves  mutual  duties,  w^hich  must  corre- 
spond to  the  nature  of  churches  and  of  their  joint 
relation,  and  which  may,  therefore,  without  any  direct 
instructions  in  the  New  Testament,  be  easily  inferred. 
They  may  be  classed  in  the  following  manner: 

I .  Recognition  of  fellowship  with  one  another  as 
churches  of  Christ. 

This  will  consist  in  the  mutual  fraternal  welcome  of 
members,  on  all  suitable  occasions,  to  participation  in 
worship  and  other  privileges  ;  in  the  dismission  and 
reception  of  members  to  and  from  each  other ;  in  the 
mutual  welcome  of  each  other's  pastors  and  ministers 
to  the  services  of  the  pulpit ;  and  in  a  considerate  re- 
spect for  one  another's  acts  of  discipline.  Such 
respect  is  liable  to  modification  ;  for  if  a  church  w^ere 
9 


98  CHURCH    POLITY. 

invariably  bound  by  the  decisions  of  another  with 
which  it  is  in  fellowship,  then  the  independence  of  the 
former  would  be  impaired. 

2.  Mutual  aid,  as  occasions  may  require  ;  whetlier 
by  advice,  or  by  assistance  in  sustaining  the  institu* 
tions  of  the  gospel. 

3.  Cooperation  in  regard  to  matters  which  require 
the  united  efforts  of  churches. 

Cooperation  may  be  more  or  less  extensive,  accord- 
ing to  the  nature  and  demands  of  the  object  to  be 
sought ;  but  the  same  principle  which  can  combine 
two  churches  in  one  effort,  may  also  combine  several, 
and  even  all  the  churches  in  a  region,  or  a  country, 
which  could  have  communication  with  one  another, 
whether  by  messengers  or  otherwise. 

An  extended  cooperation  could  hardly  exist  without 
a  board,  or  some  agency,  appointed  and  perpetuated 
in  a  manner  satisfactory  to  the  churches  concerned ; 
and  to  prevent  any  abuse,  such  an  agency  must  be 
limited  to  the  precise  purpose,  or  purposes,  for  which 
it  was  formed  ;  all  its  transactions,  aside  from  such 
purposes,  could  claim  no  countenance  from  the 
churches  w^hich  had  chosen  to  act  through  its  me- 
dium.    As  a  result  of  church  independency,  also,  such 


MUTUAL   RELATION    OF   CHURCHES.  99 

an  agency,  or  Board,  would  not  be  competent  to  bind 
any  church  to  a  specific  course  of  action  against  the 
judgment  of  that  church.  The  acts  of  such  a  body 
differ  from  those  of  a  civil  legislative  body  ;  for  this 
latter  is  empowered,  by  the  people  who  appointed  it, 
to  provide  for  its  decisions  being  carried  into  effect  by 
resources  drawn  from  those  whom  it  represents  ;  its 
decisions  have  the  force  of  law.  Not  so  in  church 
matters,  for  in  these,  power  is  not  delegated.  The 
real  province  of  a  body  of  delegates,  or  deputies,  or 
howsoever  denominated,  appointed  by  churches  which 
retain  their  independence,  is  that  of  advising  and  ar- 
ranging, or  of  instructing,  agreeably  to  the  known  or 
presumed  views  of  the  churches,  those  who  are  to  act 
in  any  given  capacity  ;  a  Board,  if  one  is  created,  is 
appointed  for  transacting  affairs  which  the  churches 
agree  to  unite  in  promoting ;  also,  for  receiving  and 
properly  disbursing  pecuniary  supplies  for  the  pro- 
posed objects.  Churches,  as  being  severally  inde- 
pendent bodies,  still  retain  the  liberty  of  adopting,  or 
declining,  the  advice  and  arrangement,  and  of  contrib- 
uting or  withholding,  pecuniary  and  other  aid,  accord- 
ing to  their  own  judgment.  A  body  of  delegates,  or 
an  executive  Board,  acting  for  churches  which   still 


retain  their  indepeiuletiee,  is  not  lei^islative  ;  it  l\.»s  no 
compulsory  power:  it  cannot  intliet  penalties,  oi  eni- 
plv^y  loree  ot*  any  kind  in  ease  ot"  a  elnuvh's  declining^ 
to  comply  Nvith  its  results.  'The  chniches  are  not 
bound  tv>  whatever  course  such  a  bodv  may  l\ave 
adopted.  As  to  the  binding;-  torce  ot"  the  acts  of  such 
a  body,  the  utmost  which  can  be  cvM\sistentIv  main- 
tained is,  that  the  churches  which  orit;inated  its 
agency,  or  approved  ot'  such  agency  beinj;"  created, 
should  teel  obligated  in  honor  to  meet  existin*;"  liabili- 
ties, while  thev  oui^ht  not  to  enconraLie  tlie  continu- 
ance of  what  thev  rei;\ud  as  .issumption.* 

4.  Mutual  concession  in  reg.ud  to  subjects  about 
which  diversity  of  views  is  consistent  with  soundness 
of  taith  and  purity  of  lite. 

*  A  combination,  indefinitely  extensive,  for  Christiiin  ob- 
jects, might  also  bo  secured  by  Ibrminjj  an  association,  which 
should  bo.  strictly,  a  union  ot"  imli\  iiluals.  and  woi  a  growtli 
of  church  action  at  all,  the  persons  who  compose  such  a 
union,  entering  into  it,  not  in  their  capacity  of  church  mem- 
bers, nor  as  delegates,  or  representatives  of  churches,  but  as 
individuals  iniiicUcd  bv  a  desire  for  the  atlainmcnt  oi'  (hose 
objects.  Such  a  union  or  agency,  callctl  by  whatever  name, 
would  be  a  medium  tlirough  which  churches  and  incli\  iiiunU 
miirht  contribute  their  aid. 


MUTUAL   RELATION   OF   CIIURC1IK5.  lOI 

On  all  huch  subject*,  diversity  of  vicw»  and  practice 
may  cxi»t,  while  in  regard  to  strictly  religious  matters, 
there  rnay  be  suflicicnt  harmony  for  cordial  union. 
Any  attempt  by  a  church  to  withhold  from  another 
church  liberty  of  opinion  and  of  action  in  regard  to 
such  matters,  would  be  aside  from  the  purposes  of  the 
church  relation,  and  inconfeistent  with  mutual  inde^ 
pendcncc. 

S  Limitation  oj  thci,c  duties. — These  duties  have, 
of  course,  their  limits.  As  they  grow  out  of  the  mu- 
tual relation,  whatever  disturbs  this  tends  to  impair 
the  corresponding  obligation.  The  relation  being 
foundorl  on  a  common  reception  of  Christianity  in  its 
distinctive  principles  of  belief  and  conduct,  the  duties 
involved  in  this  relation  would  not  be  binding  towards 
a  church  which  should  depart  from  those  distinctive 
principles. 

Let  us  suppose,  in  the  case  of  several  churches 
united  in  spirit,  reciprocating  the  expressions  of  their 
mutual  fellowship,  and  united  in  religious  efforts,  that 
one  of  them  abandons  some  doctrines  which  are  held 
by  the  rest  as  vital  to  the  gospel,  or  that  it  has  admit- 
ted tenets  which  are  subversive  of  it.  Obviously, 
9* 


I02  CHURCH    POTJTY. 

fellowship  is  impaired  and  naturally  tends  to  a  termina- 
tion. The  body  which  has  departed  from  the  faith 
cannot  expect  the  cooperation  of  the  others  in  promot- 
ing its  religious  sentiments  ;  nor  can  it  be  expected  to 
cooperate  with  them  in  maintaining  and  endeavoring 
to  extend  their  sentiments. 

In  like  manner,  should  one  of  such  churches  depart 
from  the  Scriptural  view  of  the  ordinances,  as  main- 
tained by  the  others,  this  departure,  since  it  would 
affect  the  subject  of  church  membership,  even  though, 
possibly,  it  might  not  unduly  elevate  an  outward  form, 
would  impair  fellowship.  In  this  supposition  the 
breach  of  fellowship  might  not,  at  once  and  neces- 
sarily, be  so  extensive  as  in  the  former  ;  but  fellowship 
would  be  really  impaired  ;  because,  from  the  nature 
of  the  case,  the  several  bodies  would  difler  materially 
in  constitutional  principles. 

Whether  certain  given  opinions  are  subversive  of 
the  gospel ;  and  precisely  what  shades  of  disbelief,  or 
what  departures  from  outward  observances,  are  suffi- 
cient for  the  declining  of  fellowship,  churches  must 
judge  for  themselves. 

Let  us  suppose  again,  on  the  part  of  a  church,  a 
departure  from  the  righteous  mode  of  life  enjoined  by 


MUTUAL    RELATION    OF    CHURCHES.  IO3 

the  gospel.  The  relation  would,  in  like  manner  as  in 
the  case  of  departure  from  the  faith,  be  disturbed  and 
fellowship  would  cease ;  because  Christianity  is  a 
system  of  holiness,  and  churches  are  bodies  of  disciples 
who  are  to  practise  holiness. 

§  A  well  proportioned  exercise  of  principles  to  be 
observed    i7t     the     intercourse    of    churches.  —  In 
churches  situated  near  each  other  and  having  frequent 
occasion  to  interchange  the  expressions  of  fellowship, 
it  is  important  to  maintain  a  just  and  well  proportioned 
exercise  of  each  principle  required  by  fraternal  and 
profitable  intercourse.     One  principle    should  not  be 
allowed  to  overshadow  another,  nor  to  jostle  it  from 
its  proper  place.     Independence,  for  example,  is  to  be 
maintained ;  so  is  fellowship  of  churches   which  yet 
are  independent.     Independence  must  not  be  carried 
to  the  extreme  of  isolation,  nor  be  an  impediment  to 
the  interchange  of  expressions  of  fellowship.     Fellow- 
ship, on  the  other  hand,  must  not  be  cherished  in  so 
sensitive  a  manner  as  to  prove  an  impediment  to  in- 
dependence.    Much  wisdom  and  Christian  feeling  will 
often  be  necessary  to  adjust  questions  which  threaten 
one  or  the  other  of  these  vital  principles  ;  but  a  due 


I04  CHURCH    POLITY. 

regard  to  each  of  them,  indeed  to  all  principles  which 
must  act  in  combination,  will  be  found  necessary  to 
harmonious  intercourse  and  will,  generally,  succeed  in 
securing  it. 

Associations  of  Churches  and  Ecclesiastical 
Councils.  —  The  views  which  have  been  presented 
of  the  mutual  relation  oif  churches,  shed  light  on  the 
relative  position  of  other  bodies  formed  for  ecclesias- 
tical purposes,  such  as  Associations  of  Churches  and 
Councils.  These  bodies  originate,  either  immediately 
or  mediately,  from  the  churches  to  which  the  members 
composing  them  belong  ;  and  they  are  formed  for  cer- 
tain specified,  or  well  understood  purposes ;  more 
particularly  for  cultivating  mutual  fellowship  and  pro- 
moting their  mutual  spiritual  interests.  As  in  a 
church  its  officers  and  its  private  members  act  to- 
gether, so  associations  and  councils  should  contain  in 
their  membership  both  those  who  hold  office  in 
churches  and  private  members,  preserving  the  joint 
action  of  the  two  departments,  or  constituent  parts. 

I.  Associations.  —  As  we  have  no  precedents  in  the 
New  Testament  for  associations  of  churches,  we  must 
be  governed,  in  respect  to  their  proper  sphere,  by  the 
nature,  design  and  mutual  relation  of  churches. 


MUTUAL    RELATION    OF    CHURCHES.  IO5 

Since  churches  are,  each,  independent,  an  associa- 
tion of  churches,  consisting  of  members  deputed  by 
the  several  churches  for  the  purpose,  has  no  power 
be3-ond  that  of  advice,  or  of  making  executive  arrange- 
ments for  matters  on  which  the  churches,  originating 
the  association,  have  agreed,  or  may  agree,  to  act. 

Such  a  body  is  not  to  be  regarded  as  a  kind  of  church, 
formed  by  the  churches  and  combining  in  itself  the 
duties  and  powers  of  the  respective  churches  which 
have  contributed  to  its  formation. 

Qiiestions  which  properly  pertain  to  the  internal 
affairs  of  a  church,  it  is  best  for  associations  to  leave  to 
that  church  for  its  own  settlement :  and  if  a  church 
need  advice,  it  is  better  to  seek  it  in  a  less  formal  and 
public  way  than  from  such  a  body,  thus  avoiding  the 
hazard  of  extraneous  control,  and  cultivating  their  own 
ability  for  self-government. 

2.  Ecclesiastical  Councils.  —  In  the  case  of  eccle- 
siastical councils,  since  we  have  no  scriptural  prece- 
dents for  such  bodies  in  the  present  acceptation  of  the 
term,  we  must  be  governed  in  the  same  manner  as  in 
the  case  of  associations  of  churches. 

It    is,  indeed,  common  to    regard  the   assembly  at 


Io6  CHURCH    POLITY. 

Jerusalem  in  which  the  question  respecting  circum- 
cision was  discussed,  Acts  xv.  1-3 1,  as  an  ecclesiasti- 
cal council.  But- it  widely  differed  from  such  a  body, 
in  the  usual  acceptation  of  the  term.  It  was  not  com- 
posed of  delegates  from  several  churches ;  it  was  a 
meeting  of  the  elders  and  brethren  of  the  church  in 
Jerusalem,  and  of  the  apostles  then  present,  for  delib- 
erating and  deciding  on  a  question  referred  to  them  by 
the  church  in  Antioch.  The  question  was  sent  to  the 
church  in  Jerusalem,  because  that  church  was  believed 
to  be  able  to  give  the  right  answer,  since-  it  had  from 
the  beginning  enjoyed  the  presence  and  teaching  of 
apostles,  and  since  some  of  the  apostles  were  still  at 
Jerusalem.  The  result,  also,  of  the  deliberation  w^as 
returned  in  the  name  of  the  apostles,  the  elders  and 
the  brethren. 

As  the  churches  by  which  the  members  of  a  council 
are  deputed  and  the  church  which  seeks  counsel  are 
all,  alike,  independent,  the  proper  sphere  of  such  a 
body  is  that  of  an  advisor}',  not  authoritative,  com- 
pany. Though  the  conclusions  formed  by  the  wisdom 
of  delegates  from  several  other  churches  arc  entitled 
to  much  deference,  yet  the  council  can  claim  no 
dominion    over  a  church    in    reference  to  the    matter 


MUTUAL   RELATION    OF    CHURCHES.  IO7 

which  it  ha§  presented  for  consultation.  Should  a 
church,  in  any  case,  agree  to  abide  by  the  decision  to 
which  such  a  body  may  come,  as  it  'certainly  may  for 
just  reasons,  the  force  of  the  decision  is  founded  on 
that  agreement,  not  on  any  authority  of  the  council. 


PART    SECOND. 

THE    CHRISTIAN    MINISTRY. 


(109) 


PART    SECOND. 

THE    CHRISTIAN    MINISTRY 


For  convenience'  sake,  the  term,  Christian  Ministry,  -will 
be  used  in  the  remaining  portion  of  this  volume;  and  will 
denote,  agreeably  to  current  usage,  pastors  and  preachers. 

The  topics  which  here  require  attention  are  :  the  divine  ap- 
pointment of  the  Christian  INIinistry ;  the  different  classes  of 
ministers ;  their  mutual  relation,  their  distinctive  duties,  and 
the  manner  of  introduction  into  the  ministry. 


CHAPTER  I. 

DIVINE    APPOINTMENT    OF    THE    CHRISTIAN  MINISTRY. 

In  considering  this  topic,  we  must  bear  in  mind  the 
thought,  which  has  been  ah'eady  expressed,  that  the 
apostolic  age  was  one  of  development  and  formation. 
We  must,  consequently,  recur  for  instruction  on  vari- 
ous points,  to  the  closing  part  of  the  apostolic  era, 
rather  than  to  its  beginning,  or  than  to  an  interme- 
diate part. 

That  the  office  of  the  Christian  ministry,  requiring 
the  separation  of  certain  men  to  its  services  requiring 
(III) 


112  CHURCH    POLITY. 

divine  appointment,  is  sustained  by  the  following  con- 
siderations ; 

I.  As  the  apostles  were  specially  qualified  to  guide 
the  churches,  the  offices  which  became  established  by 
their  agency,  and  in  respect  to  which  they  gave  direc- 
tions for  subsequent  times,  are  to  be  regarded  as  in 
harmony  with  the  Saviour's  will. 

At  the  very  commencement  of  Christian  operations 
in  Jerusalem,  the  spontaneous  exercise  of  the  gift  of 
teaching,  with  which  some  of  the  Christians  were 
favored,  both  by  natural  endowment  and  by  spiritual 
influences,  was  adequate  to  the  edification  of  the  as- 
semblies, particularly  as  apostles,  more  or  fewer,  were 
in  attendance.  This  appears,  however,  to  have  been 
a  temporary  provision.  For,  passing  from  this  point 
of  time  to  the  close  of  the  apostle  Paul's  agency,  we 
find  the  churches  furnished  with  an  office  of  regular 
sjDiritual  supervision  and  teaching ;  namely,  the  office 
of  bishop,  that  is,  overseer,  named,  also,  pastor.  The 
apostolic  sanction  of  this  arrangement  connects  it  with 
divine  authority. 

2.  The  apostle  Paul,  in  several  passages  of  his 
epistles,  regards  the  Christian  ministry  as  of  divine 
appointment. 


THE    CHRISTIAN    MINISTRY.  II3 

§  I.  In  I  Cor.  xii.  28,  the  provision  for  the  spirit- 
ual wcUare  of  churches  is  recognized  as  the  appoint- 
ment of  God  :  —  "  God  hath  set  some  in  the  church  ; 
first,  a^DOStles ;  secondarily,  prophets  ;  thirdly,  teach- 
ers ;  after  that,  miracles  ;  then  gifts  of  healings,  helps, 
governments,  diversities  of  tongues."  Some  of  the 
classes  of  services,  here  mentioned,  w^ere  of  a  tempo- 
rary nature,  and,  accordingly,  in  due  time  ceased. 
Others  are  necessarily  permanent,  and  endure  on  the 
same  authority  as  all  enjoyed  when  all  were  in  exer- 
cise. Among  these  last,  is  the  class  of  teachers :  a 
term,  which  here  in  all  probability  included  the  pastors 
as  well  as  those  who  taught  the  gospel  without  having 
the  pastoral  oversight. 

§  2.  In  2  Cor.  V.  18-20,  the  terms  employed  in- 
volved the  idea  of  a  divine  commission  for  dispensing 
the  gospel,  as  the  appointed  scheme  for  men's  recon- 
ciliation to  God :  — "  All  things  are  of  God,  who 
hath  reconciled  us  unto  himself  by  Jesus  Christ,  and 
hath  given  unto  us  the  ministry  of  reconciliation.  .  . 
Now  then  we  are  ambassadors  for  Christ."  This  pas- 
sage cannot  be  restricted  to  the  apostle  himself,  nor  to 
his  age  ;  for  it  involves  the  idea,  that  the  gospel  is  to 
10* 


114  CHURCH    POLITY. 

be  dispensed  as  the  method  for   the    reconciliation  to 
God  of  successive  generations  of  the  human  race. 

§  3.  In  Eph.  iv.  11-13,  the  ministry  is  represented 
as  an  appointment  of  Christ :  "  He  gave  some  [to  be] 
apostles,  some  prophets,  some  evangelists,  some  pastors 
and  teachers."  .  .  .  Christ  is  here  spoken  of  as 
giving,  assigning,  or  appointing  men  for  the  ministra- 
tion of  the  gospel,  according  to  the  various  departments 
of  this  ministration. 

§  4.  In  Heb.  xiii.  17,  "  Obey  them  that  have  the 
rule  over  you,  and  submit  yourselves :  for  they  watch 
for  your  souls,  as  they  that  must  give  account,"  the 
ministry  is  regarded  as  a  service  appointed  by  Christ, 
since  it  brings  those  vs^ho  are  occupied  in  it  into  spe- 
cial responsibility  to  Him  as  "having  given"  them 
(Eph.  iv.  11)  to  his  people. 

§  5.  The  current  language  of  the  epistles  to  Tim- 
othy associates  with  the  ministry  a  sacredness  which 
is  eminently  harmonious  with  its  being  a  divine  ap- 
pointment, but  which  could  hardly  be  expected  if  the 
office  were  merely  an  ordinary  providential  arrange- 
ment, as  a  growth  of  circumstances :  i  Tim.  iv.  6,  vi. 
20,  2  Tim.  ii.  3,  4,  15,  24.     Of  a  similar  character  is 


THE    CHRISTIAN    MINISTRY.  II5 

the  passage,  Acts  xx.  28,  "  Take  heed,  therefore,  to 
yourselves  and  to  all  the  flock  over  the  which  the 
Holy  Ghost  hath  made  you  overseers." 

§  6.  In  I  Cor.  ix.  14,  "  Even  so  hath  the  Lord 
ordained,  that  they  who  preach  the  gospel  should  live 
of  the  gospel,"  is  an  incidental  argument  for  the  di- 
vine institution  of  the  Christian  ministry.  If  it  were 
not  of  divine  appointment,  we  could  not  expect  a 
special  divine  requirement  for  the  support  of  those 
who  are  occupied  in  it.  The  connection  in  which 
this  passage  occurs  presents,  also,  the  Christian  min- 
istry as  a  counterpart  to  the  Jewish  priesthood  in  re- 
spect to  employment  in  sacred  matters,  and  in  respect 
to  the  maintenance  of  those  who  serve  in  it,  and  na- 
turally leads  to  the  idea  that  this  ministry,  as  well  as 
the  Jewish  priesthood,  was  of  divine  institution. 

3.  A  confirmatory  argument  may  be  derived  from 
the  appointment  of  the  twelve  apostles.  Their  com- 
mission to  preach  the  gospel.  Matt,  xxviii.  19,  20,  con- 
templated, in  its  very  terms,  the  continuance,  while 
the  world  should  stand,  of  preaching  and  of  other 
ministerial  services,  and  therefore  involves,  as  a  part 
of  the  Saviour's  design,  a  permanent  ministerial 
office. 


CHAPTER   II. 


CLASSES    OF    MINISTERS. 


The  design  in  this  chapter  is  not,  to  inquire  whether 
the  Christian  ministry  comprises  different  orders  as  to 
rank  and  authority.  The  simpHcity  which,  in  the 
New  Testament,  marks  the  organization  of  churches, 
is  also  manifest  in  respect  to  the  ministr\'.  There 
may,  however,  be  different  classes  of  ministers,  with- 
out gradations  of  rank  and  power.  At  the  earliest 
period  of  Christian  churches,  evidently,  a  great  va- 
riety of  operations  was  necessary  for  the  establishment 
and  extension  of  the  gospel,  and  for  the  welfare  and 
efficiency  of  the  churches.  Diversity  of  needed  labors 
occasioned  diflerent  classes  of  laborers. 

§  Official  tcr?ns  7iot  used  in  the  Nezv  Testament 
with  special  care.  —  It  is  an  interesting  fact  that  the 
New  Testament  takes  no  particular  care  in  the  use  of 
official  words,  in  reference  to  the  public  servants  of 
Christ.  The  inspired  writers  had  no  solicitude  in 
(ii6) 


CLASSES   OF    MINISTERS. 


117 


respect  to  dignity,  as  connected  with  any  sphere 
of  Christian  activity.  Though,  in  consequence  of 
this,  we  may  be  left  in  some  degree  of  obscurity,  and 
it  may  never  be  possible  to  settle  some  nice  questions, 
we  yet  hereby  attain  the  far  more  important  sentiment, 
that  concern  for  personal  or  official  distinction  should 
have  no  place  among  the  ministers  of  Jesus  Christ. 

As  illustrating  the  fact  just  mentioned,  the  expres- 
sion prophets  and  teachers  in  Acts  xiii.  i,  embraces 
Saul  of  Tarsus  as  wxll  as  Barnabas,  and  several  others 
v/ho  took  an  active  part  in  preaching  the  gospel.  In 
Acts  xiv.  4,  the  term  apostles  is  used  with  reference 
to  both  Paul  and  Barnabas  ;  but  not,  probably,  in  that 
specific  sense  in  which  it  belongs  to  the  twelve  ;  for 
that  Barnabas  was  in  that  sense  an  apostle,  we  have 
no    sufficient    evidence.*     In    a    similar    manner  the 

*  Neander  remarks  in  his  Planting  and  Training  of  the 
Christian  Church  by  the  Apostles,  page  94,  Note.  —  The  name 
apostle  "in  a  general  sense  was  applied  to  others  [besides 
the  twelve]  who  published  divine  truth  in  an  extensive  sphere 
of  labor." 

Yet  in  i  Cor.  ix.  5,  6,  Paul  may  seem  to  associate  Barnabas 
with  himself  as  an  apostle.  May  it  not  be,  howe\er,  that  the 
close  intimacy  between  Paul  and  Barnabas,  the  high  estlma- 


Il8  CHURCH    POLITY. 

word  elder  is  applied  to  the  apostles  Peter  and  John, 
I  Pet.  V.  I  ;  2  John  i,  3  John  i,  as  well  as  to  the  ordi- 
nary ministers  of  any  particular  churches.  The 
original  word  for  deacon^  also,  is  familiarly  used, 
with  frequency,  in  its  etymological  sense  of  servant.^ 
07ie  who  7'enders  service^  and  is  translated  mi7iister^ 
when  it  does  not  specifically  relate  to  the  office  of  a 
deacon.  In  this  sense,  it  is  applied  to  the  apostles,  as 
being  ministers  or  servants  of  Christ,  as  in  i  Cor.  iii. 
5  ;  and  even  to  false  teachers,  2  Cor.  xi.  15,  as  being 
ministers  of  Satan. 

§  Two  passages^  mentioning  the  classes  of  minis- 
ters.  —  Two  passages  occur  in  which  the  apostle  Paul 
names  different  classes  of  ministers ;  and  yet  these 
two  have  not  a  minute  agreement. 

In  I  Cor.  xii.  28,  he  says,  "  God  hath  set  some 
in   the   church  ;  first,  apostles  ;  secondarily,  prophets  ; 

tion  in  which  he  was  held  among  Christians,  and  his  devo- 
tion to  the  work  of  spreading  the  gospel,  naturally  led  Paul, 
without  a  thought  of  official  distinction,  to  mention  him  in 
this  connection?  In  the  same  manner  he  also  mentions  "  the 
brethren  of  the  Lord,"  who  were  certainly  not  included 
among  the  apostles,  however  much  respect  was  felt  toward 
them  on  account  of  their  relation  to  Jesus. 


CLASSES    OF    MINISTERS.  1 19 

thirdly,  teachers."  lie  then  proceeds  to  name  various 
miraculuLis  gifts,  and  other  agencies,  consisting  of 
what  we  might  call  sanctified  natural  endowments  for 
the  welfare  and  usefulness  of  a  church. 

In  Eph.  iv.  II,  he  also  says,  Christ  "  gave  some  [to 
be]  apostles ;  and  some,  jDrophets ;  and  some,  evan- 
gelists ;  and  some,  pastors  and  teachers." 

§  Ephesiajts  iv.  ii ,  ado f  ted  as  giving  the  fullest 
view.  — This  fullest  enumeration  by  the  apostle,  of  the 
classes  of  ministers,  may  therefore  be  adopted  as  giv- 
ing the  scriptural  view. 

I.  Apostles.  Of  these  four  classes,  then,  the  fiirst 
mentioned,  the  apostles,  were  endowed  by  special  di- 
vine influences,  with  peculiar  gifts  and  powers,  quali- 
fying them  to  be  authoritative  teachers  of  the  Christ- 
ian religion  and  guides  of  the  churches.  They 
evidently  occupied  a  joosition,  and  were  charged  with 
a  responsibility,  peculiar  to  themselves. 

§  The  apostles  had  no  successors  iit  their  apos- 
tolic relation.  —  They  were  not  to  have  successors  in 
their  special  office  of  apostleship  ;  as  appears  from 
the  following  considerations : 


I20  CHURCH    POLITY. 

§  I.  No  intimation  is  given  of  any  design  or  pro- 
vision on  the  part  of  the  Saviour,  or  of  the  apostles 
themselves,  for  supplying  their  places. 

During  the  life-time  of  the  apostles,  they  may  have, 
indeed,  employed  certain  ministers  as  their  assistants 
to  perform  tovs^ard  some  churches,  a  part  similar  to 
that  M^hich  they  themselves  performed.  This  the 
apostle  Paul  did  in  the  case  of  Timothy,  as  we  learn 
from  his  language  in  i  Tim.  i.  3  ;  "As  I  besought 
thee  to  abide  still  at  Ephesus,  when  I  went  into  Mac- 
edonia, that  thou  mightest  charge  some  that  they  teach 
no  other  doctrine,"  &c.  Also  in  the  case  of  Titus  ;  as 
he  says  in  Tit.  i.  5;  "For  this  cause  left  I  thee  in 
Crete,  that  thou  shouldest  set  in  order  the  things  that 
are  wanting,  and  ordain  elders  in  every  city,  as  I  had 
appointed  thee."  But  they  did  not  provide  for  a  con- 
tinued representation  after  their  decease,  of  the  apos- 
tolic office.  That  the  aposdes,  or  any  one  of  them, 
appointed  or  regarded  as  necessary  successors  to 
themselves,  would  be  a  gratuitous  assumption.  Even 
if  Paul  had  appointed  Timothy  and  Titus  to  continue 
after  his  decease,  in  a  sort  of  general  oversight  of  the 
churches,  —  a  gratuitous  assumption,  —  there  is  no 
valid  evidence  that  Timothy  and  Titus  had,  or  were 
to  have,  successors  in  such  a  capacity. 


CLASSES    OF    MINISTERS.  121 

§  3.  The  qualifications  of  an  apostle  were  incom- 
patible with  continued  succession  in  the  office. 

In  addition  to  the  special  divine  influences  fitting 
them  to  be  the  authoritative  teachers^ of  the  Christian 
religion,  a  personal  knowledge  of  Christ,  and  an  abil- 
ity to  bear  unexceptionable  testimony  to  his  resurrec- 
tion from  the  dead,  were  essential  requisites.  At  the 
election  of  Matthias  to  the  apostleship  for  supplying 
the  place  of  the  apostate  Judas,  Acts  i.  21,  22,  .this 
knowledge  of  Christ  and  ability  to  bear  witness  of  his 
resurrection,  was  distinctly  declared  by  the  apostle 
Peter  to  be  indispensable.  Hence  the  apostle  Paul 
appealed  to  the  Corinthians,  i  Cor.  ix.  i  ;  "  Am  I  not 
an  apostle?  Have  I  not  seen  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord?" 
Moreover,  according  to  2  Cor.  xii.  12,  the  endow- 
ment of  miraculous  power  was  necessary. 

§  3.  The  very  design  of  the  apostolic  office.,  aho^ 
hivohes  its  temporary  duration.  —  It  was  designed 
for  establishing  the  gospel  in  various  places  by  men 
bearing  credentials  of  a  divine  appointment  and  being 
themselves  standards  of  the  Christian  faith,  thus  hav- 
ing authority  to  settle  definitely  the  doctrines  of  the 
Christian  religion.  The  purpose  of  the  otiice  having 
II 


122  CHURCH    POLITY. 

been  answered,  the  office  ceases ;  there  is  no  further 
need  of  it.  Since  the  death  of  the  apostles,  their  in- 
spired writings  in  the  New  Testament  occupy  their 
place.  These  writings  are  to  us,  for  the  communica- 
tion of  facts  and  the  teaching  of  Christian  doctrines, 
what  the  apostles  themselves  were  to  those  who,  with- 
out such  documents,  received  the  gospel  from  them 
and  could  resort  to  them  personally  for  instruction. 

2.  PropJiets.  The  prophets,  next  mentioned,  were 
also  under  a  peculiar  influence  of  the  Holy  Spirit. 
They  were  favored,  occasionally  at  least,  with  imme- 
diate revelations,  so  as  to  foretell  future  events,  and 
were  particularly  endowed  with  requisite  gifts  for  the 
edification  of  churches  by  their  earnest  exhibition  of 
divine  truth  in  regard  to  Christian  conduct.  In  Acts 
xi.  27,  28,  mention  is  made  of  certain  prophets,  one 
of  whom  predicted  "that  there  should  be  great 
dearth  ;  "  and  this  same  prophet,  we  are  told  in  xxi. 
10,  II,  predicted  that  the  Jews  at  Jerusalem  would 
bind  Paul  and  "  deliver  him  into  the  hands  of  the 
Gentiles."  In  i  Cor.  xiv.  3,  4,  22,  the  edification  of 
believers  in  religious  character  is  mentioned  as  a  chief 
purpose  of  the  prophetic  gift.  The  prophets  in  the 
New  Testament  resembled   the  ancient  prophets,  not 


CLASSES    OF    MINISTERS.  1 23 

SO  much  in  predicting  future  events,  as  In  an  earnes^ 
and  forceful  presentation  of  religious  truth  for  moving 
others  and  in  a  fervid  expression  of  their  own  re- 
ligious emotions  on  interesting  occasions.  The  use 
of  the  word  prophesy  in  Luke  i.  6*]^  and  Acts  ii.  17, 
18,  exemplifies  this  remark. 

Such  a  class  of  ministers  would  be  eminently  ser- 
viceable in  the  incipient  state  of  Christian  affairs,  and 
was  a  natural  result  of  the  abundant  divine  influence 
imparted  to  the  early  converts.  It  well  accorded  with 
the  free  interchange  of  thought  and  feeling  which 
characterized  the  occasions  of  worship  and  of  religious 
intercourse  in  the  earliest  period  of  the  Christian  re- 
ligion, and  tended  to  promote  in  a  healthful  manner 
that  unconstrained  interchange.  The  fourteenth  chap- 
ter of  I  Corinthians  furnishes  an  example  of  this 
familiar  and  social  mode  of  worship  and  of  the 
apostle's  views  in  regard  to  the  exercise  of  the  New 
Testament  prophetic  gift. 

This  class,  as  dependent  on  the  extraordinary  influ- 
ences of  the  Holy  Spirit,  was  also  for  temporary 
duration. 

§  Danger  of  ijuposition  guarded  against.  —  The 
danger  of  imposition  from  men  unwarrantably  laying 


^^4^^  CHURCH    POLITY. 

claim  to  this  prophetic  gift  was  obviated  by  the  gift 
with    which  some  were   endowed,  of  "  discerning  of 
spirits,"   I  Cor.  xii.   lo,  that  is  of  discriminating  be- 
tween the  real  possessors  of  it  and  mere  pretenders. 

3.  Eva7igelists.  —  Evangelists  are  next  mentioned. 
These  were  occupied  in  preaching  the  gospel  as  itiner- 
ants without  a  settled  location.  Philip,  called  in  Acts 
xxi.  8,  "  the  evangelist,"  appears,  Acts  viii.  5,  40,  to 
have  been  occupied  in  going  from  place  to  place, 
disseminating  the  gospel.  Timothy,  also,  was  em- 
ployed in  "  the  work  of  an  evangelist,"  2  Tim.  iv.  5. 
As  he  was,  in  his  ministerial  employment  particularly 
an  assistant  of  the  apostle,  he  would  necessarily  be 
engaged  in  various  places,  preaching  the  gospel  and 
establishing  in  the  faith  newly  formed  churches. 

The  sphere  of  an  evangelist  well  corresponds  with 
that  of  a  missionary,  whether  as  contributing  to  the 
establishment,  in  faith  and  ^iciency,  of  comparatively 
feeble  churches,  or  preaching  the  gospel  among  the 
destitute  in  a  Christian  country,  or  in  unevangelized 
parts  of  the  world. 

This  view  agrees  with  the  etymological  sense  of  the 
word  evangelist,  namely,  a  preacher  of  the  gospel.* 

*  Eusebius  in  his  Ecclesiastical  History,  Book  V.  ch.  10, 


CLASSES    OF    MINISTERS.  1 25 

4.  Pastors  and  Teachers.  —  The  remaining  class 
consists  of  those  who  are  pastors  and  teachers.  From 
the  structure,  in  the  original  Greek,  of  the  passage 
which  we  are  now  considering,  these  two  epithets 
designate  one  and  the  same  class  of  men  ;  and  they 
denote  those  who  were  the  spiritual  guides  and  over- 
seers of  the  churches.  They  were  the  religious  teach- 
ers to  whom  the  twofold  care  of  superintendence  and 
instruction  in  churches  was  entrusted.  The  term 
elders  was  also  applied  to  them,  as  occupying  an  offi- 
cial station  of  prominence  and  respect;  and,  as  being 
charged  with  the  cares  of  supervision  or  oversight, 
they  were  denominated,  according  to  our  English  ver- 
sion, bishops. 

Permanent  Classes  of  Ministers.  —  Of  these 
four  classes,  two,  the  apostles  and  the  prophets, 
specially  needed  at  the  establishment  of  the  gospel  in 
the  world,  and  endowed  with  extraordinary  gifts,  were 
to  be  temporary.  The  other  two,  evangelists  and 
pastors,  are,  from  the  nature  of  the  case,  of  permanent 
duration. 

applies  the  term  evangelist  to  certain  preachers,  who  in  the 
latter  part  of  the  second  century,  after  the  apostolic  example, 
devoted  themselves  to  the  extension  of  the  gospel  in  the  east- 
ern parts  of  the  world.     See  also  Book  III.,  ch.  37. 


126  CIimiCH    POLITY. 

Lay-preachers.  —  From  ist  Corinthians,  twelfth  ^ 
chapter,  also  from  Romans  xii.  4-7,  and  from  the 
very  nature  of  Christianity,  it  is  obvious  that  whatever 
abilities  and  opportunities  for  serving  the  cause  of 
Christ  a  disciple  may  possess,  his  duty  is  thereby  indi- 
cated. If  he  have  the  faculty  of  addressing  men  on 
religious  subjects  and  opportunities  for  maintaining 
the  study  of  divine  truth  and  becoming  habitually  im- 
bued with  its  spirit,  and  for  making  himself  useful  in 
communicating  it,  it  is  his  duty  and  privilege  thus  to 
act,  whether  in  public  religious  assemblies,  or  in  more 
private  collections  of  Christians  and  others  for  social 
worship,  though  he  may  not  judge  it  his  duty  to  be 
occupied  exclusively,  or  mainly,  in  the  work  of  the 
ministry.  Thus  in  harmony  with  the  activity  of  a 
special  ministry,  Christianity  furnishes  a  sphere  also 
for  an  occasional  ministry,  and  for  lay-preachers.* 

*  In  the  diversified  employments  required  by  the  cause  of 
Christ,  besides  the  preaching  of  the  gospel  and  the  pastoral 
care  of  a  church,  will  be  services  collateral  with  these.  When 
ministers  of  the  gospel  become  occupied  in  such  services, 
they  may  be  considered,  if  any  technical  designation  should 
be  deemed  desirable,  as  occasional  ministers. 


CHAPTER   III. 

MUTUAL   RELATION    OF   MINISTERS. 

In  view  of  the  simplicity,  in  official  arrangements, 
which  characterized  the  apostles'  times,  and  of  the  fact 
that  of  the  two  permanent  classes  of  ministers,  the  evan- 
gelists were  mainly  occupied  in  disseminating  the  gos- 
pel, and  the  pastors  and  teachers,  denominated  also,  in 
our  English  version,  bishops,  were  connected  with  in- 
dividual churches,  and  not,  officially,  with  churches 
in  a  combined  capacity,  as  forming  an  aggregate  ;  the 
mutual  relation  of  ministers  would  seem  to  be  that  of 
equals,  laboring  at  various  points  for  the  same  object, 
and  having  no  occasion  for  thinking  of  official  rank  in 
respect  to  one  another.  Moreover,  the  easy  transition, 
according  to  circumstances,  from  the  position  of  an 
evangelist,  to  that  of  a  pastor,  or  of  a  pastor  to  that 
of  an  evangelist,  indicates  the  essential  equality,  so 
far  as  rank  is  concerned,  of  the  fellow-laborers  in  these 
two  spheres. 

It  might  seem  superfluous,  then,  to  inquire  whether 
(127) 


128  CHURCH    POLITY. 

the  Christian  ministry  consists  of  diflerent  orders,  or     ^ 
ranks,  relatively  superior  and  inferior.     Circumstances 
in  the  Christian  world,  however,  make  such  an  inquiry 
desirable  ;  for  diversity  of  ranks  prevails  extensively. 

§  Relation  of  the  terms  elder ^  or  presbyter^  and 
bishops^  to  one  another.  —  This  enquiry  resolves  itself 
into  the  following :  Whether  the  term  elder ^  or,  when 
used  in  reference  to  the  ministry,  its  equivalent,  pres- 
byter^ and  the  term,  bishops  were  significant  of  differ- 
ent ranks  in  the  ministry,  sustaining  relations  of  infe- 
riority and  superiority,  or  were  only  diflerent  names 
For  the  same  office. 

What,  then,  is  the  scripture-use  of  these  terms  as 
related  to  each  other? 

In  Acts  XX.  17,  Paul  is  said  to  have  sent  to  Ephesus 
for  "  the  elders  of  the  church."  In  his  address  to 
them,  he  bids  them  (verse  28)  "  take  heed  to  all  the 
flock  over  the  which  the  Holy  Ghost  hath  made  you 
overseers^'  or,  as  the  original  word  in  various  other 
passages  is  translated,  bishops.  The  words  elder  and 
overseer,  or  bishop,  were  here  applied  to  the  same 
men. 

In  the  epistle  to  Titus,  i.  5,  the  apostle  directs  him  to 


MUTUAL    RELATION    OF   MINISTERS.  1 29 

"  ordain  elders  in  every  city,"  and  proceeds  to  mention 
the  qualifications  of  an  elder.  These  quaHfications 
are  necessary  to  an  elder,  he  adds,  verse  7,  because  "  a 
bishop  must  be  blameless  ;  "  thus  using  the  two  words 
interchangeably.* 

§  No  officer  between  the  bishop  and  the  deacon.  — 
The  New  Testament,  also,  makes  no  mention  of  an 
office  intermediate  between  that  of  a  bishop  and  that 
of  a  deacon. 

In  I  Tim.  ili.  S,  the  apostle,  having  mentioned  the 
qualifications  of  a  bishop,  passes  immediately  to  those 
of  deacons.  Had  there  been  an  order  of  ministers, 
denominated  presbyters  or  elders,  in  distinction  from 
the  bishop,  could  the  apostle  have  failed  to  mention 
the  qualifications  for  so  important  an  office?  But  if 
bishops  were  the  presbyters,  or  elders,  his  manner  was 
the  only  possible  one. 

*  In  noticeable  harmony  with  the  passages  cited  above  is 
I  Pet.  V.  I,  2,  "The  elders  which  are  among  jou  I  exhort. 
.  .  .  feed  the  flock  of  God  which  is  among  you,  taking  the 
oversight,  tniay.o/n) wTeg  thereof."  Elders,  then,  were  charged 
with  the  duties  of  oversight,  or  held  the  office  of  euioxonog,  a 
bi^ihop. 


130  CTIURCII    POLITY. 

In  Phil.  i.  I.  also,  only  bishops  and  deacons  aie 
mentioned,  t 

§  Origin  of  the  ter?ns  elder  and  bishops  and 
shade  of  difference  between  them.  —  As  a  significa- 
tion in  common  belongs  to  these  terms,  it  may  be 
worth  while  to  remark  tliat,  in  the  opinion  of  judi- 
cious critics,  the  official  term  rendered  elder ^  was  of 
Jewish  origin ;  while  the  equivalent  term  rendered 
overseer.,  or  bishop.,  arose  among  the  Gentile  converts, 
who  selected  from  their  own  language  and  usuages 
a  term  equivalent  to  the  Jewish. 

It  is  worthy  of  note,  also,  that,  so  far  as  any  shade 
of  difference  in  signification  between  them  is  con- 
cerned, the  word  presbyter,  or  elder,  was  indicative  of 
the  respect,  or  honor,  due  to  the  office,  and  the  word 
bishop  of  the  service  which  the  office  required. 

§  Result  as  to  the  mutual  relation  of  ministers.  — 
The  mutual  relations  of  Christian  ministers,  then,  is 
that  of  brethren  occupying  an   equal  official  station. 

t  The  Sjriac  "  Scriptures,  .translated  in  the  beginning  of 
the  second  century,  everywhere  render  episcopos  (translated 
bishop  in  English),  by  the  word  presbyter,  or  priest."  "Lau- 
rie"'s  Mountain  Net^torians,  p.  147. 


MUTUAL    RELATION    OF    MINISTERS.  I3I 

The  office  of  the  ministry  is  not  divided  into  grada- 
tions  of  dignity  and  power.  Still,  as  cliurch-mem- 
bers,  holding  to  each  other  an  equal  fraternal  relation, 
canflw  but  differ  from  each  other  in  efficiency  and  in- 
fluence through  their  unequal  degrees  of  intelligence, 
piety  and  activity,  and  through  various  circumstances, 
BO  ministers,  equal  in  point  of  office,  will,  through 
their  indefinite  variety  as  to  personal  endowments  and 
circumstances,  without  any  infringement  of  this  equal- 
ity, differ  indefinitely  from  each  other,  in  point  of 
influence,  usefulness,  and  public  esteem. 


CHAPTER  IV.  IP 

THE    DISTINCTIVE    PROVINCE    OF   MINISTERS. 

In  considering  the  extent  of  the  power  which  be- 
longs to  church  officers,  and  particularly  to  ministers, 
in  Part  i.  ch.  iii.,  it  was  shown  that  ecclesiastical 
power  resides  in  the  individual  churches  themselves, 
not  in  their  officers,  nor  in  any  select  body  as  distinct 
from  a  church.  When  at  an  early  date  church  busi- 
ness was  either  assumed  by  the  eldership,  or  was 
transferred  to  it,  or  in  some  insensible  way  came  to  be 
considered  as  belonging  to  it  officially,  either  of  these 
was  a  departure  from- the  original  method.  This  de- 
parture led  the  way  to  the  virtual  merging  of  individual 
churches  into  aggregates  of  churches,  and  to  the  con- 
centration of  church  business  in  synods  or  councils 
composed  of  bishops,  as  an  order  of  clergy  distinct 
from  presbyters ;  and  thus,  eventually,  ecclesiastical 
power  became  engrossed  by  bishops,  while  churches 
themselves,  as  individual  and  independent  communi- 
ties conducting  their  own  affiiirs,  disappeared,  except 
(132) 


DISTINCTIVE    PROVINCE    OF    MINISTERS.  I33 

in  the  form  of  heretical  or  sectarian  bodies,  not  ac- 
knowledged by  the  dominant  ecclesiastical  authorities.* 
§  Aluiistcrs  aiid  churches  act  conjointly. — In 
truth,  then,  according  to  the  models  in  the  New  Tes- 
tament, ministers  as  such  are  not  to  act  independently 
of  churches,  but  in  connection  with  them.  The  New 
Testament  does  not  represent  churches  as  being  in 
subjection  to  their  elders,  without  conjoint  action  of 
their  own,  but  as  self-governing  bodies  composed  of 
both  private  members  and  officers  who  jointly  act 
under  law  to  Christ. 

§  Some  services  belo?ig  particularly  to  ministers. 
Yet,  ministers  have  a  distinctive  province.  Certain 
services  are  devolved  on  them,  as  distinct  from  other 
members.  They  have  a  responsibility  which  others 
have  not. 

When  it   is  said  that    ministers  have  a   distinctive 


*  "It  was  an  evil,  that  the  communities,"  that  is,  the 
churches,  "were  excluded  from  all  participation  in  the'se 
assemblies;  that,  at  length,  the  bishops  came  to  constitute 
the  sole  power  in  them,  and,  by  the  union  which  these  sj-nods 
enabled  them  to  enter  into  with  one  anothei-,  made  themselves 
more  powerful  every  day."  Neander's  Church  History,  vol.  i. 
p.  207. 


^34  CHURCH    POLITY. 

province,  or  sphere  of  duty,  it  is  not  meant  that,  in  the 
absence  or  the  hick  of  a  minister,  these  duties  must  be 
left  unperformed  ;  for,  when  occasion  requires,  other 
members,  whether  holding  office  or  not,  should, 
agreeably  to  the  very  nature  of  Christianity,  supply 
the  consequent  lack  of  service  according  to  their  en- 
dowments. Wherever  special  occasions  arise,  it  is  in 
harmony  with  the  spirit  of  Christianity  that  they  be 
met  as  special  occasions,  and  be  provided  for  in  the 
best  manner  possible.  That  there  is  a  distinctive 
province  for  ministers  is,  therefore,  necessarily  held 
with  modification. 

Still  less  is  it  meant,  that  the  services  which  appro- 
priately belong  to  ministers,  have  in  themselves  such 
a  sacredness  that  they  would  be  unacceptable  to  God 
and  useless  to  man,  if  rendered  by  persons  not  cere- 
monially and  officially  set  apart  for  those  services. 
The  value  of  any  religious  services  comes  not  from 
any  peculiar  sacredness  attaching  to  the  person,  or  the 
office  of  him  who  renders  them  ;  but  from  the  truths 
which  such  services  inculcate  on  the  recipient,  and 
from  the  accompanying  influence  of  the  Holy  Spirit 
whose  operations  are  not  restricted  by,  or  to,  certain 
forms.     "  God    is    a    Spirit ; "    Christians  are  made 


DISTIXCTIVE    PROVINCE    OF    MINISTERS.  135 

*'  kings  and  priests  unto  God,"  being  "  a  royal  priest- 
hood, a  holy  nation  ;  "  and  therefore,  when  occasion 
requires,  any  sendee  whicli  would  ordinarily  be  ren- 
dered by  a  minister,  may  be  rendered  by  another 
person,  and  any  outward  rite,  if  the  providence  of 
God  hinder  its  performance,  is  omitted  without  haz- 
ard to  the  soul. 

Yet,  as  human  beings  are  composed  of  soul  and 
body,  so  the  religion  of  Christ  has  its  outward  ar- 
rangements, as  well  as  its  inward  spirit.  It  provides 
for  the  more  regular  and  profitable  performance  of 
certain  things  by  making  them  the  duty,  in  ordinary 
circumstances,  of  certain  men.  "  God  has  set  some 
in  the  church "  for  certain  duties  which  he  has  not 
assigned  to  others  ;  and,  in  ordinary  circumstances, 
those  duties  do  not  belong  to  the  sphere  of  others. 

§  Direct  relation  to  Christy  both  of  7ni7iisters  and 
of  churches.  —  In  order  to  attain  a  just  apprehension  of 
the  distinctive  province  of  ministers,  we  must  consider 
them  as  holding  a  direct  relation  to  Christ,  separate 
from  that  which  they  hold  to  churches  ;  so  that  in 
some  things  they  arc  responsible,  just  as  every  Chris- 
tian is  in  his  personal  cap:icity,  to  Kim  rather  than  to 


136  CHURCH    POLITY. 

churches.  So,  too,  churches  have  a  direct  responsi- 
bihty  to  Christ. 

A  correct  view  of  the  relation,  on  the  part  of  a  min- 
ister and  of  a  cliurcli,  respectively,  to  Christ  and  to 
each  other,  furnishes  a  safeguard  both  against  arro- 
gance and  against  submission,  on  the  part  both  of 
ministers  and  of  churches,  and  cherishes  that  fraternal 
and  yet  mutually  deferential  spirit  which  should  actu- 
ate both  churches  and  ministers. 

In  considering  the  distinctive  province  of  ministers, 
It  will  be  best,  for  the  sake  of  avoiding  all  extrav^a- 
gance  or  undue  prominence  on  either  side,  to  view 
ministers  and  churches  conjointly  in  regard  to  the  piir- 
ticulars  which  belong  to  this  province.  For  while 
ministers  have,  in  these  particulars,  a  responsibility 
directly  to  Christ  rather  than  to  churches,  churches 
also,  from  their  very  nature  and  design,  have,  in  these 
same  things,  a  responsibility  directly  to  Christ. 

§  A  mi7tister's  relation  to  Christ  not  inconsistent 
with  a  regard  to  the  welfare  of  a  church.  —  It 
should,  also,  be  said  that  while  ministers  are,  in  cer- 
tain respects,  to  be  regarded  as  servants  of  Christy 
responsible  to  him    and  not    to  churches,  still  so  vi- 


DISTINCTIVE    PROVINCE    OF    MINISTERS.  I37 

tally  connected  is  the  ministerial  work  with  the  real 
interests  of  churches,  and  so  injurious  would  be  an 
erroneous  course  on  the  part  of  ministers  in  reference 
to  churches,  that  minister  would  subject  himself  to 
just  suspicion,  who  should  willingly  imperil  a 
church's  interests  through  a  professed  supreme  regard 
to  the  authority  of  Christ.  He  might  mistake  self- 
will  for  self-sacrificing  devotion  to  Christ.  Clearly,  a 
minister  may,  in  the  sober  judgment  of  the  church 
which  he  has  engaged  to  serve,  so  deviate  from  the 
principles  of  the  gospel,  in  their  application  to  its  real 
interests,  as  to  incur  its  disapproval. 

§   Services  iiichidcd  in  the  province  of  ^ninisters. 

I.  The  preaching  of  the  gospel  and  the  pastoral 
care  belong,  eminently,  to  the  distinctive  jDrovince  of 
ministers. 

The  term  gospel^  in  such  a  connection,  is  equiva- 
lent to  thesystejn  of  Christianity^  and  thus  the  preach- 
ing of  the  gospel  includes  in  its  compass  the  public 
teaching  of  the  religion  of  Christ.  The  minister  of  a 
church  is  such  a  preacher  and  teacher,  particularly  to 
to  those  with  whom  he  is  officially  connected.  To  the 
office  of  the  ministry  belongs,  also,  the  pastoral  care. 
12* 


138  CHURCH    POLITY. 

The  view,  thus  presented,  is  required  by  the  follow- 
ing considerations : 

One  of  the  several  classes  of  ministers,  mentioned 
in  Eph.  iv.  11,  includes,  as  we  have  seen,  pastors  and 
teachers. 

2.  A  succession  of  men  for  the  preaching  of  the 
gospel,  until  the  end  of  the  world,  was  contemplated 
in  our  Lord's  commission  to  his  apc^stles.  Matt,  xxviii. 
19,  20. 

3.  The  instructions  of  Paul  to  Timothy  and  Titus 
make  it  clear,  that  a  special  responsibility  for  the  pas- 
toral care  and  the  preaching  of  the  gospel  is  laid 
on  ministers. 

4.  The  very  nature  of  this  work  requires,  for  its 
regular  and  efficient  performance,  a  class  of  men 
separated  for  this  purpose  and  the  other  kindred  pur- 
poses of  the  ministry.  Without  an  official  provision 
for  the  regular  dispensation  of  Christian  truth,  the 
gospel  would  not  accomplish  its  design. 

§  A  preacher  of  the  gospel  respo7zsible  directly 
to  Christ.  —  In  this  department  of  duty,  a  minister  is 
responsible  directly  to  Christ,  both  because  he  is  the 
servant  of  Christ,  and  because  he  is  to  derive  the  in- 


DISTINXTIVE    PROVINCE    OF    MINISTERS.  139 

structions  he  communicates,  not  from  a  church,  but 
from  Christ  through  the  Scriptures.  He  is,  therefore, 
responsible  to  Christ  alone  for  the  doctrines  he  incul- 
cates, or  allows  to  be  inculcated,  on  his  people. 

§  Corresponding-  responsibility  of  the  Church.  — 
While  ministers  are  charged  with  the  duty  of  preach- 
ing the  gospel  and  of  the  pastoral  care,  churches  have 
a  corresponding  responsibility. 

1.  It  is  incumbent  on  a  church  to  furnish  a  suitable 
maintenance,  if  possible,  for  its  minister  in  the  proper 
discharge  of  his  office. 

2.  In  respect,  also,  to  the  substance  of  a  minister's 
preaching,  a  church  has  responsibility  to  Christ ;  for 
it  is  a  church  of  Christ.  It  is  bound,  by  its  responsi- 
bility to  Christ,  to  discountenance  doctrines  which  dis- 
agree with  the  Scriptures,  as  well  as  to  uphold  wdiat 
it  conceives  to  be  Christian  truth. 

3.  Likewise,  in  case  of  being  destitute  of  a  minister, 
a  church  is  charged  with  the  duty  of  otherwise  pro- 
viding for  the  public  presentation  of  the  gospel,  as  it 
best  can  ;  whether,  for  instance,  by  procuring  tem- 
jDorary  service  from  a  minister,  or  by  social  religious 
exercises,  or  by  encouraging  a  suitable  member  to  con- 
duct the  services  of  worship. 


140     -^  CHURCH    POLITY. 

II.    Ill  a  somewhat  modified  sense,  the  adminlstra-      j 
tioii  of  baptism  belongs  to  the  province  of  ministers. 

§  Lack  of  sufficiently  definite  i7iformatio7i  in 
the  JVezu  Testame?zt  to  fraiiie  a  rule.  —  So  far  as 
the  New  Testament  gives  us  information,  it  favors  the 
limitation  of  this  service  to  ministers ;  but  the  New 
Testament  does  not  furnish  instruction,  nor  practical 
details,  respecting  it,  sufficient  to  warrant  its  exclusive' 
limitation  to  that  class.  Neither  the  genius  of  Chris- 
tianity, nor  the  design  of  the  sacred  writers,  required 
precision  in  assigning  to  certain  men,  or  certain  classes, 
the  performance  of  external  and  manual  services. 
The  gospel  requires,  that  "  all  things  be  done  decently 
and  in  order  "  ;  but,  wdiether  baptism  was  administered 
by  an  apostle,  or  by  an  elder  of  a  church,  or,  if  in 
accordance  with  common  consent,  by  a  private  Chris- 
tian of  eminent  gravity,  between  whose  character  and 
any  solemn  observance  there  would  be  no  incongruity, 
the  spirit  of  the  New  Testament  would  not  be  violated. 
The  Apostle  Paul  chose  not  to  baptize,  i  Cor.  i.  14-17  ; 
but  left  this  service,  ordinarily  in  all  probability,  to  be 
performed  by  other  suitable  persons.  The  Apostle 
Peter,  also,  in  the  case  of  Cornelius,  Acts  x,  committed 


DISTINXTIVE    PROVINCE    OF    MINISTERS.  I4I 

the  administration  of  baptism  to  other  hands.  Com- 
pared with  the  weighty  cares  and  responsibilities  of 
the  apostles,  the  administration  of  a  rite  held  a  subor- 
dinate place,  since,-if  administered  with  due  solemnity, 
it  could  as  well  be  performed  by  their  assistants,  or 
occasional  attendants. 

§  Limitation  of  this  service  to  ministers  a  rea- 
sonable co7ichision.  —  Still,  it  is  reasonable  to  re^-ard 
the  administration  of  baptism,  in  ordinary  circum- 
stances,  as  belonging  to  the    distinctive   province  of 

ministers : 

« 

I.  From  our  Lord's  having  included  it  in  his  com- 
mission to  the  apostles,  Matt,  xxviii.  i8-30. 

As  the  commission  involves  the  continuance  of  bap- 
tism, it  is  a  reasonable  conclusion,  that  baptism  is  to 
be  administered  by  men  sustaining  an  official  relation 
corresponding,  in  part,  to  that  of  the  apostles  ;  that  is 
the  relation  of  preachers  of  the  gospel.  The  apostles 
were  commissioned  to  disciple  the  nation  and  to  bap- 
tize ;  the  two  duties  were  conjoined.  So,  in  reference 
to  other  servants  of  Christ,  the  duties  of  preaching  for 
the  conversion  of  men,  and  of  baptizing  them,  we  may 
reasonably  consider  as  united.     Since  the  commission 


142  CHURCH    POLITV. 

involves  the  continuance  of  a  class  of  men  to  preach 
the  gospel,  so  to  baptize  those  who  become  disciples 
is  reasonably  included  among  the  duties  of  this  class. 

3.  From  the  lack  of  evidence  that  baptism  v^as  ad- 
ministered originally  by  other  Christians. 

While  we  have  evidence  that  it  was  administered 
by  other  ministers  than  the  apostles,  as  in  the  case  of 
Philip  the  Evangelist,  Acts  vlii.  I3,  39,  we  have  no 
evidence  that  it  was  administered  by  men  in  an  unoffi- 
cial position. 

In  the  case  of  Cornelius  the  centurion,  related  in 
the  loth  of  Acts,  it  is  indeed  sufficiently  clear  that  the 
Apostle  Peter  did  not  baptize,  but  employed  the  ser- 
vice of  one  or  more  of  the  brethren  who  accompanied 
him.  Acts,  x.  23,  45,  48.  But  whether  these  brethren 
were  official,  or  unofficial,  men  does  not  appear. 
Perhaps  they  were  special  attendants  on  the  apostle, 
or  assistants  ;  since  we  learn  from  Acts  xi.  12,  that  they 
were  still  in  his  company  when  he  went  up  to  Jerusa- 
lei^.  From  lack  of  information,  however,  no  reliable 
statement  can  be  made,  and  no  reliable  conclusion 
drawn.  Even  if  they  were  all  private  brethren,  and 
one  of  them  administered  the  ordinance,  the  apostle's 
direction  would  be  a  sufficient  warrant  for  that  occa- 


DISTINCTIVE    PROVINCE    OF   MINISTERS.  I43 

sion.  A  general  Kule,  however,  might  not  be  consti- 
tuted by  such  a  case  ;  expect  so  far  as  this,  that  cir- 
cumstances may,  at  times,  be  such  as  to  render  it 
entirely  proper  for  private  Christians  to  administer 
baptism,  particularly  as  there  is  nothing  in  tHe  nature, 
or  tlie  intent,  of  the  ordinance  to  hinder  its  being  ad- 
ministered by  unofficial  persons,  when  providential 
circumstances  so  require. 

3.  The  limitation  of  this  service  to  a  certain  class 
would  result  from  a  regard  to  regularity.  ■ 

"  God  is  not  the  author  of  confusion,  but  of  peace," 
I  Cor.  xiv.  33  ;  and  confusion  would  inevitably  result 
from  the  administration  of  baptism  by  Christians  in- 
discriminately. 

A  regard  to  regularity  would  require  a  limitation 
of  this  service,  but  not  necessarily  a  limitation  of  it, 
strictly,  to  ministers.  In  the  absence  of  information, 
or  of  prescription,  on  the  subject,  it  is  credible  that 
originally,  the  administration  of  baptism  belonged  to 
the  entire  eldership,  or  official  body,  of  a  church  ;  aAd 
as  the  deacons  were  a  part  of  this  official  body,  the 
administration  of  baptism  may  have  been  considered 
appropriate  to  their  position,  particularly  in  unusual 
circumstances. 


144  CHURCH    POLITY. 

§  Baptis77i  is  administered  07i  tJj.e  ad?ni?zisi}'ator^ s 
responsibility  to  C/i?'ist.  —  In  confirmation  of  the 
view  that  the  administration  of  baptism  belongs,  with 
such  modifications  as  have  been  mentioned,  to  the 
province  of  ministers,  and  is  performed  on  the  admin- 
istrator's responsibihty  to  Christ,  and  not  on  his  re- 
sponsibihty  to  a  church,  it  is  to  be  considered,  that  a 
believer  is  baptized,  not  in  compliance  with  the  direc- 
tions of  a  church,  but  in  compliance  with  the  direction 
of  Christ  to  baptize  those  who  become  disciples. 
Matt,  xxviii.  19.  It  is  to  Him,  then,  that  the  adminis- 
trator is  responsible,  whether  the  evidence,  that  the 
person  has  become  a  disciple,  is  obtained  directly  from 
the  person  himself,  or  indirectly  through  the  reliable 
testimony  of  a  church  or  of  others. 

Accordingly,  when  a  person  is  baptized,  he  does 
not  thereby  become  a  member  of  any  particular  church, 
but  makes  a  profession  of  discipleship  to  Christ,  Acts 
ii.  38,  viii.  16,  X.  48;  also.  Gal.  iii.  27;  likewise,  by 
that  act  he  professes  a  reception  of  the  gospel,  viewed 
as  a  distinct  system  of  religion  having,  as  its  central 
element,  a  practical  faith  in  the  Father,  the  Son  and 
the  Holy  Spirit,  Matt,  xxviii.  19;  also,  by  baptism,  he 
professes  his   entering  on  a  new  life,  a  life   of  righte- 


DISTINCTIVE    PROVINCE    OF    MINISTERS.  I45 

ousness,  by  virtue  of  tlie  death  and  resurrection  of 
Clirist,  which  cardinal  facts  enter  into  a  comprehen- 
sive view  of  this  ordinance,  Rom.  vi.  3,  4,  CoL  ii.  12. 
Baptism,  being  thus  a  personal  profession,  agreeably  to 
the  Saviour's  appointment,  of  discipleship  and  a  rec- 
ognizing of  the  obligations  connected  with  disciple- 
ship, introduces  a  person  into  the  universal  company 
of  Christ's  visible  followers,  and  thus  puts  him  into  a 
proper  state  for  being  welcomed  into  membership 
with  some  particular  church.  It  is  not,  then,  an  act 
for  which  a  church  is  responsible.  So  far  from  its 
being  a  church-act,  circumstances  may  often  not  only 
justify,  but  require  its  administration  without  consult- 
ing any  cliurch,  as  in  the  case  of  Philip  and  the  eu- 
nuch, and  the  case  of  Cornelius  the  centurion,  and 
many  supposable,  and  actually  occurring  cases. 

§  Relation  ivhlch  a  cJuircJi  sustains  to  the  admin- 
istration of  baptis7n.  —  But,  as  baptism  is  ordinarily 
in  harmony  with  the  Saviour's  plan,  immediately  fol- 
lowed by  entrance  into  some  church,  it  is  ot  course 
proper,  when  connection  with  a  church  is  expected, 
that  the  minister  and  that  church  should  cooperate  in 
the  preliminaries  of  this  transaction,  so  that  on  the 
13 


1^6  CHURCH    POLITY. 

part  of  tliat  church,  also,  there  should  be  readiness  to 
admit  the  baptized  person  into  membership  :  for,  ad- 
mission into  any  particular  church  should  take  place 
b}'  an  act  of  that  church  ;  and  in  all  the  steps  leading 
to  that  result,  tliere  ought  to  be  harmony  of  action  be- 
tween all  concerned.  Else,  the  Saviour's  plan  of  hav- 
ing his  followers  associated  in  churches  might  be,  in 
numerous  instances,  disregarded  ;  and  many,  baptized 
in  his  name,  might  remain  without  the  salutary  influ- 
ence of  church-connection,  and  without  the  opportu- 
nities for  promoting  his  cause,  which  church  connec- 
tion furnishes. 

Thus,  while  in  ordinary  circumstances,  baptism  is 
to  be  administered  on  the  administrator's  responsi- 
bilit}',  yet  such,  usually,  is  the  relation  of  this  act  to  a 
church,  that  a  pastor  will,  of  course,  seek  tlie  coopera- 
tion of  the  church,  so  that  membership  may  at  once 
take  place  after  the  avowal,  in  baptism,  of  discipleship 
to  Christ.  The  distinction,  however,  is  readily  appre- 
hended, between  the  avowal  of  discipleship  and  the 
admission  to  membership  in  a  particular  church, 

III.  In  a  similarly  modified  sense,  action  in  the' 
final  admission  of  men  into  the  ministry  belongs  to 
the  distinctive  province  of  ministers. 


DISTINXTIVE    PROVINCE    OF    MINISTERS.  I47 

P 

§  Notices  respecting  this  topic  in  the  New  Testa- 
ment are  f CIV.  —  Information  on  this  point,  in  the 
New  Testament,  is  meagre  ;  and  it  was,  probably,  in 
the  earliest  times,  a  subject  that  did  not  require  much 
preciseness.  The  free,  3'et  fraternal  and  conscientious, 
spirft  of  Christian  leaders  in  those  times  could  dis- 
pense with  much  formality,  as  to  the  mode  of  entering 
the  public  sei:yice  of  Christ,  and  could,  at  sometimes, 
take  one  course  and,  at  others,  another,  as  circum- 
stances appeared  to  direct.  Still,  if  we  find  satisfixctory 
proof  that  men,  already  in  the  ministry  performed  an 
important  part  in  introducing  others  into  the  office,  we 
are  warranted  in  regarding  such  action  as  furnishing  a 
precedent  for  subsequent  times. 

The  few  notices  in  the  New  Testament  concerning 
admission  to  the  ministry,  show  that  on  such  occa- 
sions, sometimes  apostles  and  their  assistants  acted  ; 
and,  at  other  times,  a  presbytery,  or  company  of  elders, 
acted. 

In  Acts  xiv.  23,  Paul  and  Barnabas  are  said  to 
have  ordained,  that  is,  appointed,  elders  in  every 
church  which  they  had  founded.  Some  of  these  were 
men  who  are  elsewhere  named  bishops,  pastors :  they 
were  ministers  of  the  gospel. 


148  CHURCH    POLITY. 

In  Titus  i.  5,  the  apostle  says,  "  For  this  cause  left 
I  thee  in  Crete,  that  thou  shoulclest  set  in  order  the 
things  that  are  wanting,  and  ordain  [appoint,  set  in 
office]  elders  in  every  city  as  I  had  appointed  thee." 

In  I  Tim.  iv.  14,  the  action  of  a  presbytery,  that  is, 
a  body  of  elders,  in  such  service  is  mentioned  :  "  Neg- 
lect not  the  gift  that  is  in  thee,  which  was  given  thee 
by  prophecy  with  the  laying  on  of  the  hands  of  the 
presbytery." 

The  presbytery  here  mentioned  may  have  been  a 
company  of  elders  met  from  various  quarters,  whether 
for  this  occasion,  or  for  other  purposes,  or  without 
concert ;  or,  it  may  have  been  the  eldership  of  a  par- 
ticular church,  and  comjDrised  all  the  members  of 
the  official  body,  those  who  were  not  pastors  and 
teachers^  as  well  as  those  who  were.  So  for  as  this 
latter  view  contributes  to  the  formation  of  a  rule,  the 
rule  would  be  that  the  body  which  acts  in  the  final 
admission  of  men  to  the  ministry,  should  contain  other 
official  men  besides  ministers.  If  the  presbytery  were 
a  company  of  elders,  in  the  strict  sense  of  the  word, 
as  equivalent  to  bishops^  then  the  passage  would,  so 
far  as  it  goes  to  form  a  rule,  favor  the  idea,  that  the 
final   act,  in  the   admission  of  men   into   the  ministry, 


DISTINCTIA^E    PROVINCE    OF    MINISTERS.  I49 

belongs  to  the  distinctive  province  of  the  ministry. 
But  the  question  how  this  presbytery  was  constituted, 
cannot,  through  hick  of  information,  be  definitely 
settled. 

§  Propriety  of  7ninisterial  actio7i  on  stick  occa- 
sio7is.  — That  ministers  should  have  a  special  part  in 
the  admission  of  others  into  the  ministry,  seems  very 
appropriate.  It  may  well  be  believed,  that  they  feel 
a  special  responsibility  and  a  special  solicitude  in  re- 
gard to  the  purity  of  the  ministry,  and  that  they  are 
qualified  to  judge  of  the  requisites  for  this  service. 

§  Province  of  a  church  iit  regard  to  a  persoit^s 
entering  the  7ninistry.  —  The  province  of  a  church, 
also,  In  this  matter,  must  not  be  overlooked.  Evi- 
dently, a  church,  from  the  true  idea  of  its  design  and 
mode  of  action  has,  as  well  as  the  ministry,  a  respon- 
sibility in  reference  to   it.     Since  the  ministerial  office 

holds   so     important  a  place  in  the   maintenance  and 

« 
diffusion  of  the  gospel,  —  objects  which   churches   are 

designed   to   promote,  —  churches  have  by  right  and 

by  their  responsibility   to   Christ,    a    vital   connection 

with  the   entrance  of  men    into  the  ministry.     If  not, 

and  if  the  ministry  were   to   perpetuate  itself  without 

13* 


150  CHURCH    POLITY. 

the  fraternal  eooperation  of  ehiirehes  in  respect  to  ad- 
mission into  it,  a  system  might  come  into  operation 
which  would,  eventually,  bring  men  into  the  ministry 
without  their  being  even  church-members  previously 
to  their  forming  the  purpose  of  entering  on  it,  and 
without  their  possessing  any  spiritual  qualifications  for 
a  sacred  employment.  Then,  again,  when  we  con- 
sider the  independence  and  self-government  of  a 
church,  some  right  of  action  in  a  matter  of  so  vital  im- 
portance is  essential  to  a  church,  and  some  real  acts 
on  its  part,  involving  its  approval  and  sanction,  would 
seem  requisite  to  a  member's  entrance  on  the  ministry. 
Ordinarily,  too,  a  church  is  favorably  situated  for 
forming  a  correct  judgment  as  to  the  type  of  a  person's 
piety,  and  his  incipient  fitness  for  this  sphere  of  ser- 
vice ;  and  the  judgment  of  a  church  will,  ordinarily, 
prove  a  good  basis  of  action  w^ith  reference  to  his  full 
admission  into  it. 

§  Prclhiiiiiary  acts  of  a  cJizirch  iit  reference  to 
this  stihject.  —  A  church,  then,  perceiving  that  a 
member  has  endowments  both  of  piety  and  of  intellect 
for  ministerial  service,  encourages  him,  whether  for- 
mally or  otherwise,  in   his   cultivation   of  his  powers. 


DISTINXTIVE    PROVINCE    OF    MINISTERS.  151 

It  thus  approves,  and  may  formally  express  its  appro- 
bation of  his  taking  steps  preparatory  to  becoming  a 
minister,  and  contributes  to  the  result  of  his  being  rec- 
ognized in  due  time  and  in  the  appropriate  manner,  as 
a  minister  of  the  gospel. 


CHAPTER   V. 

INTRODUCTION    TO    THE    MINISTRY. 

It  is  the  purpose  of  this  chapter,  to  present  more  in 
detail  the  process  which  the  nature  of  churches  and 
the  relation  sustained  to  them  by  ministers  indicate, 
with  reference  to  a  person's  entrance  into  the  ministry, 
and  to  notice  the  ceremonial  act  with  which  his  intro- 
duction into  this  sphere  of  duty  is  visibly  consum- 
mated. 

I.  The  process  of  eiitrance  into  the  7ninistry.  — 
In  reference  to  this  process,  it  will  be  advantageous 
to  keep  in  view  both  the  membership  and  the  official 
body  of  the  earliest  churches :  since  we  shall  thus 
more  easily  discover,  not  only  the  manner  in  which  a 
member  would  give  indications  of  possessing  the  ele- 
ments, at  least,  of  fitness  for  the  public  service  of 
Christ,  but,  also,  the  distinctive  province  of  ministers 
and  of  churches,  and  their  cooperation  in  regard  to 
this  matter. 

Those  churches  had  a  body  of  elders  on  whom 
(15^) 


INTRODUCTION    TO    THE    MINISTRY.  153 

all  the  official  concerns,  both  spiritual  and  temporal, 
were  devolved.  This  eldership,  or  company  of  elders, 
would  be  larger  or  smaller,  according  to  circumstan- 
ces and  to  the  endowments  of  the  church-members  ; 
but  it  was  adequate  to  all  official  duties. 

We  will  suppose,  now,  the  case  of  a  person  in  one 
of  those  early  churches,  led  by  the  devout  be»t  of  his 
mind  to  take  an  active  part  in  prayer  and  addresses 
on  occasions  of  worship,  or  in  any  other  ways  to  show 
an  adaptation  to  the  work  of  public  religious  exhorta- 
tion or  instruction.  His  efforts  of  this  nature  are 
favorably  received,  and  he  increases  in  his  ability  for 
usefulness.  At  length,  whether  by  himself  making 
known  his  impressions  on  the  subject,  or  by  the  sug- 
gestion of  others,  the  question  arises,  whether  he  is 
not  a  suitable  person  to  be  admitted  into  the  ministry. 
The  church  members  approve  of  such  a  measure  ;  the 
elders  also  approve  of  it;  and  he  is,  consequently? 
welcomed  to  the  work  of  the  ministry  with  more  or 
less  formality,  agreeably  to  custom  or  the  prevalent 
sense  of  propriety.  The  fact  of  his  being  thus  placed 
in  the  ministry,  that  is,  by  the  members  and  elders  of 
the  church  of  which  he  is  a  member,  would  be  suffi- 
cient to  secure  for  him,  in  addition,  the  fellowship  of 
other  churches  and  ministers. 


154  CHURCH    POLITY. 

§  A^o  details  iiz  the  Nezv  Testament  7'elative  to 
this  topic.  —  The  statement  just  made,  is  intended  to 
show  the  process  of  this  matter  in  accordance  with 
the  nature  and  design  of  the  earliest  churches.  If  the 
question  arise,  whether  any  facts  are  recorded  in  the 
New  Testament  showing:  that  entrance  into  the  minis- 
try in  the  earhest  times,  took  place  just  in  that 
manner,  the  answer  must  be  in  the  negative.  Details 
of  this  kind  are  not  given.  We  are  left,  in  forming 
our  view  on  this  topic,  to  what  may  be  considered  the 
natural  and  necessary  operation  of  principles  inherent 
in*  the  church-constitution. 

At  the  same  time  we  must  not  forget  the  suggestion 
which  was  made  in  Part  i.  chapter  III.  p.  of  this 
volume,  that,  at  the  commencement  of  Christian  op- 
erations anywhere,  and  at  any  time,  the  ministers 
who  have  been  personally  concerned  in  gathering  a 
church  may  be  the  most  suitable  persons  to  select  from  it 
individuals  for  office,  and  may,  in  harmony  of  course 
with  the  feelings  of  that  church,  appoint  them  to  offices. 
A  church,  however,  provided  at  first  with  its  officers  in 
this  way,  would  in  its  progress  become  competent  to 
manage  all  its  own  atlairs,  and  then  the  principles 
which  are  inherent  in  its  nature   and  design  will  find 


INTRODUCTION    TO    THE    MINISTRY.  1 55 

their  appropriate  action,  and  such  special  service, 
adapted  only  to  a  commencing  point  and  required  by 
the  present  exigency,  will  be  no  longer  requisite. 

§  The  early  churches  in  reference  to  this  matter. 
In  those  of  the  earliest  churches  which,  as  those  in 
Philippi  and  in  Ephesus,  had  more  bishops  than  one, 
as  well  as  several  deacons,  introduction  to  the  minis- 
try was,  doubtless,  a  matter  of  much  simplicity.  Not 
only  were  the  members  and  the  eldership  personally 
cognizant  of  the  preliminary  activities  of  an  individ- 
ual, which  marked  him  as  suitable  for  this  employ- 
ment, but  also,  as  more  than  one  were  occupying  the 
position  of  ministers,  their  action  in  regard  to  his  ad- 
mission would  indicate  fellowship  on  the  part  of 
ministers.  All  the  important  principles,  by  which 
admission  into  the  ministry  might  require  to  be  regu- 
lated, would  be  preserved,  without  passing  beyond  the 
bounds  of  the  particular  church  itself  to  which  the 
person  belonged. 

In  the  present  day,  too,  the  ordination,  or  the  public 
setting  apart,  of  a  church-member  to  the  ministry  by 
the  pastor  alone,  in  accordance  with  the  wishes  of  the 
church,  would  certainly  not  be  an  essential  departure 


iS6 


CHURCH    POLITY. 


from  correct  principles.  It  would,  however,  be  in 
danger  of  fiiiling  in  one  respect,  which  was  less  in 
danger  of  failing  at  the  earliest  times,  and  which  ought 
not  to  be  put  to  hazard,  namely,  the  fellowship  of  other 
ministers.* 

§  Regard  due  to  the  opinio7is  of  ministers  respect- 
ing a  candidate  for  the  7?iinistry.  —  It  follows  from 
the  preceding  view,  that  the  opinions  of  ministers,  on 
the  question  of  a  candidate's  being  ordained  as  a  min- 
ister, should  be  held  of  special  importance  ;  particu- 
larly, since  with  them  rests  the  public  act  which  shall 
indicate  their  devout  and  cordial  commendation  of  the 

*  This  important  particular  is  happily  preserved  in  modern 
times  by  a  minister's  presenting  the  right  hand  of  fellowship, 
in  behalf  of  the  council,  to  the  person  set  apart,  accompanied 
with  a  pertinent  addi'ess.  This  act  is  expressive,  ordinarily, 
of  a  widely  cherished  fellowship  on  the  part  of  ministers  and 
of  church-members ;  and  conveys,  not  only  to  the  person 
himself,  an  assurance  of  sympathy  and  cooperation,  but,  also, 
to  the  congregation  he  is  to  serve  and  to  the  community  at 
large,  an  assurance  that  he  enters  on  his  public  work  with 
the  cordial  approval  and  commendation  of  those  who  know 
what  the  service  is,  and  who  have  themselves  been  held  in 
public  esteem  as  ministers  of  the  gospel. 


INTRODUCTION    TO    THE    MINISTRY.  157 

person  to  God,  and  their  ministerial  fellowship   with 
him. 

True  as  this  ma}-  be,  still,  since  the  ordination  of  a 
man  to  the  ministry  is  generally  connected  with  his 
becoming  the  pastor  of  a  church,  or  with  his  going 
forth  to  preach  the  gospel,  and  as,  in  both  cases,  the 
fellowship  of  neighboring  churches,  and  the  fraternal 
coniidence  of  churches  in  general,  is  eminently  neces- 
sary to  the  designed  results  of  ministerial  services,  a 
council,  assembled  at  a  church's  request  for  consulta- 
tion and  concurrence  with  it  on  such  an  occasion, 
should  not  fail  to  represent  the  churches  as  well  as  the 
ministry,  so  that  union  may  exist,  on  the  part  of  both, 
in  opinion  and  in  action. 

§  A  cJiU7'ch  the  ultimat'e  source  of  power  {71  this 
matter.  —  But  while,  in  ordinary  circumstances  among 
Christians,  the  action  of  ministers  is  necessary,  in  con- 
junction with  the  previous  action  of  a  church,  to  the 
regular  introduction  of  a  man  into  the  ministry,  still, 
so  truly  is  a  church  the  ultimate  source  of  power,  and 
such  is  the  genius  of  church-constitution,  according  to 
the  New  Testament,  that,  if  circumstances  should 
make  it  necessar),  a  church-member  might  become, 
14 


I5S  CHURCH    POIJTV. 

to  nil  intents  and  purposes,  a  minister  by  the  action 
of  that  church  solely.  vSuch  circumstances  can  be 
imagined  ;  and  they  would  amount  to  what  might  be 
called  a  new  setting  in  operation  of  the  Christian 
cause,  a  planting  of  the  gospel.  Such  cases  will, 
however,  very  seldom  occur.  The  case  is  supposed 
here,  merely  to  illustrate  the  genius  of  the  gospel,  and 
to  show  where,  in  ecclesiastical  matters,  the  ultimate 
power  on  earth  resides.  It  illustrates,  too,  a  cardinal 
and  wide-sweeping  principle  in  the  gospel ;  namely, 
that  holiness  is  not  dependent  on  circumstances. 
Neither  churches,  nor  the  ministry,  depend  for  their 
genuineness  on  any  outward  connection  with  churches, 
or  with  the  ministry,  of  any  former  age.  Their  gen- 
uineness depends  on  conformity  to  the  principles 
which  regulated  the  apostles  and  the  first  churches. 

Still,  extraordinary  cases,  exigencies  truly  so  called, 
do  not  furnish  a  rule  for  ordinary  cases  ;  or,  rather,  do 
not  warrant  irregularity  in  ordinary  cases.  The 
Apostle  Paul  directed,  i  Cor.  xiv.  40,  that  "  all  things 
should  be  done  decently  and  in  order"  ;  and  ministers 
and  churches  best  show  their  wisdom  and  conscien- 
tiousness by  adhering  to  a  proper  order  in  conducting 
their  affairs,  when  not  placed  in  circumstances  of  exi- 
gency. 


[NTRODUCTION    TO    THE    MINISTRY. 


159 


IT.  The  inquiry  is  now  in  place,  whether  any 
ceremonial  act  is  to  be  performed  on  the  occasion  of 
a  person's  admission  into  the  ministry. 

§  Imposition  of  hands.  —  The  New  Testament 
contains  some  evidence,  that  the  imposition  of  hands 
on  the  candidate,  by  men  already  in  the  ministry,  was 
practised,  in  the  age  of  the  apostles,  on  such  occasions. 

In  I  Tim.  iv.  14,  we  read,  "  Neglect  not  the  gift 
which  is  in  thee,  which  was  given  thee  by  prophecy 
with  the  laying  on  of  the  hands  of  the  presbytery," 
that  is,  of  the  eldership.  In  2  Tim.  i.  6,  the  apostle 
also  reminds  Timothy,  to  ''  stir  up  the  gift  of  God, 
which,"  he  adds,  "  is  in  thee  b}-  the  putting  on  of  my 
hands." 

Whether  two  distinct  acts  are  referred  to  in  these 
passages,  or  whether  the  apostle  was  himself  one  of 
the  elders  composing  the  presbytery,  who  laid  hands 
on  Timothy,  we  have  not  the   means  of  determining. 

§  Objections  against  practising  tJie  imposition 
of  hands.  —  Objections  may  be  raised  against  this 
observance,  on  two  grounds  : 

I.  It  was  en-iployed  on   other  occasions,  as  a  some- 


l6o  CllUUCir    POLITY. 

what  common  practice  ;  and,  even  in  respect  to  min- 
isters of  the  gospel,  it  was  not  restricted  to  their 
entrance  on  this  service. 

2.  It  was  employed  by  the  apostles,  as  a  symbol 
expressing  the  imparting,  through  them,  of  the  mirac- 
ulous influences  of  the  Holy  Spirit. 

§  Replies.  —  The  first  objection  has  no  decisive 
force.  It  does  not  lie  against  the  use  of  this  act  at  a 
person's  being  set  part  to  the  ministry,  it  only  avails 
against  restricting:  it  to  that  occasion. 

The  second  Is  not  conclusive  ;  since  the  act  did  not, 
in  ancient  times,  invariably  symbolize  the  imparting 
of  the  Holy  Spirit,  or  always  include  this  among  the 
ideas  it  conveyed. 

§  True  idea  cojzvcyed  by  the  imposition  of  hands. 
From  an  examination  of  scripture-passages  in  which 
the  imposition  of  hand  is  mentioned,  it  appears  to 
have  been  an  emblematic  act,  expressive  of  the  be- 
stowal of  endowments  and  blessings  on  the  person 
thus  indicated  ;  the  bestowal  being  either  actually 
granted,  or  sought  for  in  special  prayer.  Whether 
these   endowments   and  blessings  were  of  a  common, 


INTRODUCTION    TO    THE    MINISTRY.  l6l 

or  of  a  miraculous  character,  was  dependent  on  cir- 
cumstances. 

Sometimes,  it  signified  a  ceremonial  transfer  of 
guilt,  or  of  liability  to  punishment ;  in  such  instances, 
the  idea  of  communicating  to  another  is  obvious. 

§  Instances  of  the  layifig  on  of  hands.  —  In  Gen. 
xlviii.  14-20,  we  read  of  the  patriarch  Jacob's  laying 
hands  on  the  heads  of  Joseph's  sons,  in  connection 
with  his  benediction.  It  was  here  a  symbol  of  the 
bestowal  on  them  of  the  blessings  for  whicJi  the 
patriarch  prayed. 

According  to  Exodus  xxix.  10,  15,  19,  Aaron  and 
his  sons  laid  their  hands  on  certain  animals  for  sacri- 
fice, as  a  symbolical  transfer  to  the  animals  of  their 
own  liability  to  punishment.  Their  liability  to  pun- 
ishment, or  being  held  guilty,  as  sinners,  was  thus 
symbolically  conveyed  to  the  animals,  so  that  Aaron 
and  his  sons  might  be  regarded  as  guiltless,  and  suit- 
able for  the  priesthood. 

In  Numbers  xxvii.  18-23,  we  read  of  Moses's  lay- 
ing his  hands  on  Joshua,  in  the  presence  of  the  con- 
gregation, at  his  designation  to  office  as  an  associate 
with  himself.  The  same  idea  here  prevails.  It  ap- 
14* 


l63 


CHURCH    POLITY. 


pears,  from  Deut.  xxxiv.  9,  that  this  act  was  regarded 
as  connected  with  the  divine  bestowal  on  Joshua  of  the    >* 
spirit  of  wisdom,  in  all  probability  as  a  sure  token  of 
its  bestowal,  as  well  as  of  putting  on  him,  Num.  xxvii. 
20,  some  of  Moses'  honor. 

In  the  New  Testament,  numerous  instances  occur 
in  which  hands  were  laid  on  the  sick,  as  an  emblem, 
it  w^ould  seem,  of  the  bestowal  of  health. 

Our  Lord's  putting  his  hands  on  children,  Mark 
X.  16,  was,  In  like  manner,  symbolical  of  the  be- 
stowal of  blessings. 

According  to  Acts  vi.  6,  the  imposition  of  hands  on 
the  Seven  at  their  designation  was  performed  with 
special  prayer.  Bestowal  of  divine  influences,  in  an- 
swer to  prayer,  on  the  men  selected,  seems  here 
indicated.  Though  the  men  were  previously  "full 
of  the  Holy  Ghost  and  wisdom,"  verse  3,  yet  it  would 
Jdc  in  perfect  accordance  with  divine  operations,  and 
the  nature  of  the  gospel,  that  this  designation  should 
be  followed  by  a  marked  increase  of  spiritual  influ- 
ences, and  of  religious  strength  and  enjoyment. 

In  Acts  viil.  17,  iS  the  laying  on  of  hands  by  the 
apostles  Peter  and  John,  and  in  xlx.  6  l)y  the  apostle 
Paul,  was  performed  In  connection  with  the  bestow- 


INTRODUCTION    TO    THE    MINISTRY.  1 63 

ing,  through  them,  on  the  persons  concerned,  of  the 
miraculous  gifts  of  the  Holy  Spirit. 

In  Acts  xiii.  3  we  learn,  that  this  act  was  performed 
at  the  setting  apart  of  Paul  and  Barnabas  for  their 
first  missionary  tour.  They  did  not  at  that  time  enter 
on  their  service,  as  ministers  of  the  gospel ;  but  they 
were  then  called  to  a  very  special  work :  and  at  their 
separation,  or  designation  to  it,  this  impressive  emblem 
of  the  communication  from  God,  of  qualifications 
and  blessings,  was  an  appropriate  accompaniment 
of  the  special  prayers  for  the  successful  prosecution  of 
their  work. 

Now,  this  general  idea  is  eminently  applicable  to 
the  occasion  of  a  person's  being  introduced  into  the 
ministry,  and  may  usefully  be  set  forth  by  this  im- 
pressive act,  conjoined  with  special  prayer  to  God, 
as  the  giver  of  requisite  qualifications  and  blessings. 
The  act  does  not  mean,  in  the  present  day,  all  that  it 
meant  when  performed  by  an  apostle,  but  an  impor- 
tant part  of  it ;  and  it  now,  probably,  means  all  that  it 
meant  when,  even  in  apostolic  times,  it  was  performed 
by  ordinary  elders. 

It  is,  then,  properly  retained  as  a  simple,  yet  signifi- 


164  CHURCH    POLITY. 

cant  and  impressive  act,  harmonious  with  the  charac- 
ter of  Christianity. 

§  Imposition  of  ha7ids  not  essential  to  an  ordi- 
nation.—  Yet  it  is  not  essential  to  an  ordination,  or 
to  a  person's  being  acknowledged  as  a  minister.  It  is 
a  usage,  descended  to  us,  doubtless,  from  apostolic 
times,  but  not  restricted,  in  those  early  times,  to  en- 
trance on  the  ministry,  nor  founded  either  on  divine 
prescription,  or  on  the  nature  of  things.  The  essence 
of  an  ordination  consists  in  a  church's  calling  to 
the  work  of  the  ministry  one  of  its  members,  who 
possesses,  substantially,  the  requisite  qualifications. 
Should  circumstances,  anywhere,  evidently  admit  of 
only  so  very  simple  a  proceeding  as  this,  the  entrance 
of  the  person  concerned  on  the  ministry  ought  to  be 
regarded  as  sufficiently  harmonious  with  the  princi- 
ples of  the  New  Testament.  Should  a  church,  or  a 
candidate  for  the  ministry,  choose,  particularly  on 
conscientious  grounds,  to  omit  this  ceremony,  its 
omission,  as  it  could  not  impair  the  efficacy  of  special 
prayer  on  the  occasion,  so  ought  not  to  be  regarded 
as,  in  an}'-  degree,  unfavorably  aflecting  the  ministe- 
rial 2^ositIon  of  the  individual. 

Still,  in  ordinary  circumstances    it  is  well   to  pay 


INTRODirCTION    TO    THE    MINISTRY.  165 

regard  to  such  customs  of  churches  as  do  not  conflict 
with  any  Christian  duty,  are  free  from  superstitious 
tendencies,  and  from  their  suitableness  in  point  of 
meaning,  have  ever  been  acknowledged  as  worthy  of 
observance. 


APPENDIX 


(167) 


APPENDIX 


I.     Pages  18-23  of  Ch.  I.,  Part  I. 

ON  THE  PRACTICAL  DISTINCTION  BETWEEN  CHURCHES 
AND  OTHER    BODIES. 

According  to  the  scriptural  idea,  a  church  of  Christ 
is  not  to  be  regarded  in  the  light  of  a  civil,  or  politi- 
cal, body.  Churches  pertain  to  a  cause  which  is  not 
of  this  world.  They  cannot,  according  to  scriptural 
principles,  confer  civil  rights  and  privileges,  nor  inflict 
civil  disabilities :  so  that,  if  those  principles  are  prop- 
erly regarded,  a  man  neither  gains  nor  loses  any  civil 
right  either  by  becoming  a  member  of  a  Christian 
church,  or  by  declining,  or  by  ceasing,  to  be  a  mem- 
ber. The  great  principle,  "  My  kingdom  is  not  of 
this  world,"  John  xviii.  36,  is  a  pervading  one  in  the 
religion  of  Christ. 

Again  :  a  church  is  evidently  distinct  from  all  eccle- 
siastical, and  other  organizations  which  have  not  been 
divinely  prescribed,  but  which  men's  view  of  neces- 
14  (169) 


1 7^  APPENDIX. 

sity,  or  expediency,   has  originated  :  such  as  associa- 
tions of  churches,  conventions,  missionary  boards,  and 
other  bodies  for  promoting  objects  of  Christian  benev- 
olence.    These   give    scope    to   the    united    action  of 
Christians,  and  to  the  joint   action   of  Christians  and 
of  other  men,  not  in  a  church-capacity,  but  in  the  ca- 
pacity of  an   association   for  certain  specified  objects 
which  may,  or  may  not,  be  inckided  among  the  mat- 
ters belonging  to   a   church  as  sucJi.     Into   some  of 
these   associations,  men  enter,   not    because   they  are 
church-members,   not    because    they    are    Christians, 
for  others  also    are     admitted ;    but  because,  from    a 
variety    of   considerations,    the}^   wish    to  accomplish 
certain    good    objects.     A    man    may   enter,    or   may 
decline  to  enter,  into  them  and  yet  retain  his  position 
in  a  chiirch  and  perform  all  the   duties  of  his  church- 
relation.      He   may  approve  or  disapprove  of  them, 
and  yet  be  a  good  and  worthy  member  of  a  church. 

Besides  :  such  bodies  differ  materially  from  churches 
m  that  the  objects  which  they  design  directly  to  pro- 
mote may  be  either  secular  or  spiritual ;  and  these 
may  be  sought  by  certain  specified  modes  of  action 
which  human  wisdom,  rather  than  divine  authority, 
has  originated.      Persons  belonging  to  these  associa- 


i 


APPENDIX. 


171 


lotions  are,  in  their  associate  capacity,  properly  re- 
garded, not  as  church-members,  but  as  men  impelled 
by  religious  and  benevolent  considerations  to  seek  the 
welfare  of  their  fellowmen  and  the  honor  of  God. 
Members  of  one  and  the  same  church  may  differ  in 
their  opinions  about  the  principles  involved  in  these 
organizations  and  about  the  modes  of  conduct 
adopted,  without  impairing,  in  the  least,  the  relation 
which  they  naturally  sustain  as  members  of  a  church. 
In  ever3thing  pertaining  properly  and  strictly  to  the 
church  they  may  be  agreed  ;  in  things  pertaining  to 
other  bodies  they  may  so  far  differ  that  they  cannot 
associate  in  them. 

A  difference  will  appear,  also,  by  considering  that 
some  of  these  bodies,  a  reform  society,  for  instance, 
can  regard  only  the  externals  of  a  vicious  practice,  or 
system ;  if  these  are  abandoned  or  abolished,  the 
object  of  such  a  society  is  gained,  whatever  princi- 
ples, or  feelings,  the  reformed  persons  may  still  cher- 
ish. In  other  words,  such  a  society  has  not  for  its 
specific  object  the  right  state  of  a  man's  /learL  A 
church,  however,  is  designed  to  iniiuence  character  in 
the  sight  of  God  ;  in  other  words,  to  influence  the 
heart,    to   cultivate  true  righteousness  of  soul   which 


172  APPENDIX. 

shall  secure  right  feelings  and  purposes,  and  tend  to^ 
accomplish  needed  outward  changes.  Thus  the  great 
end  to  be  aimed  at  by  a  church,  namely  spiritual  and 
eternal  salvation  from  sin,  is  not  the  purpose  of  a 
reform-society ;  since,  though  the  reform  may  be  ef- 
fected, the  men  who  are  reformed  may  still  be  desti- 
tute of  genuine  righteousness  towards  God  and  man. 
The  distinction  between  a  church  of  Christ  and  any 
association  of  human  origin  would,  if  rightly  appre- 
hended, enable  members  of  churches  to  avoid  collision 
respecting  subjects  which,  involving  moral  wrong, 
confessedly  demand  the  reformatory  influence  of 
Christianity.  While  Christianity,  as  a  system  of 
righteousness,  is  designed  and  adapted  to  rectify  all 
social  wrongs,  there  may,  notwithstanding,  be  great 
dirversity  of  opinion  among  members  of  the  same 
church,  if  not  as  to  the  subjects  themselves,  yet  as  to 
modes  of  action  in  regard  to  them  ;  so  that  they  can- 
not, in  their  church-capacity,  act  harmoniously  with 
reference  to  those  subjects.  They  may,  however,  as 
men,  as  benevolent  and  Christian  men,  exert,  and 
ought  in  every  suitable  way  to  exert,  a  salutary  influ- 
ence in  regard  to  social  wrongs,  both  individually  and 
in  combination  with  others. 


APPENDIX. 


L 


173 


./V* 


II.     Page  3,  last  paragraph,  Ch.  XL,  Part  I. 

THE    JEWISH      SYNAGOGUES,     AS       INFLUENCING      THE 
FORM    OF    CHRISTIAN    CHURCHES. 

Neander,  in  his  Planting  and  Training  of  the 
Christian  Church  by  the  Apostles,  Book  i.  Chap.  11. 
p.  32,  Ryland's  translation,  says:  "  A  model.  •  •  • 
already  existed  among  the  Jews,  along  with  the  Tem- 
ple worship,  namely,  the  Synagogues.  •  •  •  But  it 
may  be  disputed  whether  the  apostles,  to  whom  Christ 
committed  the  chief  direction  of  affairs,  designed  from 
the  first  that  believers  should  form  a  society  exactly  on 
the  model  of  the  Synagogue  and,  in  pursuance  of  this 
plan,  instituted  particular  offices  for  the  government 
of  the  church  corresponding  to  that  model  —  or, 
whether,  without  such  a  preconceived  plan,  distinct 
offices  were  appointed  as  circumstances  required  :  in 
doing  which,  they  would  avail  themselves  of  the 
model  of  the  synagogue  with  which  they  were 
familiar." 

Neander's  latter  suggestion  is  the  preferable  one. 
15* 


1 74  APPENDIX. 

The  synagogues  were  not,  properly  the  model  for^ 
the  apostles  ;  but  when  an  office  became  necessary, 
the  usages  of  the  synagogues  might,  of  course,  exert 
an  imperceptible  influence  ;  and  after  a  requisite  office 
came  into  being,  if  it  corresponded  in  the  main  to 
one  in  a  synagogue  the  accustomed  term  for  such 
office  would  naturally  be  employed.  The  idea  of  the 
synagogue  as  a  model  is,  then,  of  very  limited  use. 

It  would,  also,  be  an  objection  to  this  idea,  if,  as  is 
stated  by  Vitringa,  in  Synag.  Vet.  Lib.  2.  c.  11  and  3. 
pr.  I.  c.  g,  and  by  John  in  his  Biblical  Archaeology,- 
§  372,  there  were  in  synagogues,  besides  a  body  of 
elders,  a  chief  of  the  synagogue,  a  sort  of  presiding 
elder,  to  whom  the  elders  stood  very  much  in  the  rela- 
tion of  advisers  and  helpers.  Of  such  an  office  in  a 
church,  no  mention  occurs  in  the  New  Testament. 


APPENDIX. 


k 


175         ^ 


III.     Page  9,  Ch.  II.,  Parti. 

EXAMINATION    OF     I    TIM.    3:    II.    ON     THE     Q.UESTION 
OF    DEACONESSES. 

Our  version  of  this  passage,  "  Even  so  must  their 
wives  be  grave,"  &c.,  makes  it  refer  to  the  wives  of 
deacons.  This  is  a  questionable  rendering.  The  ab- 
sence, in  the  original,  of  the  word  for  their  is  unfavor- 
able to  it ;  and  if  the  passage  relate  to  the  wives  of 
deacons,  the  place  which  it  occupies  is  unnatural. 
Besides,  why  should  particular  directions  be  given  as 
to  the  wives  of  deacons,  and  none  as  to  the  wives  of 
bishops?  If,  however,  this  verse  indicate  the  qualifi- 
cations of  deaconesses,  its  occurrence  is  natural :  and 
this  mention  of  deaconesses  and  the  character  requisite 
for  them  having  been  made,  and  that  in  a  somewhat 
parenthetic  way,  the  apostle  resumes  his  instructions 
concerning  deacons,  and  the  attention  of  the  reader  is 
recalled  to  them  by  the  repetition  of  their  title.  The 
similarity  of  qualifications  for  the  women  to  those  of 
the  men,  with  but  a  slight  difierenee,  is  also  favorable 


176  APPENDIX. 

to  the  opinion  that  deaconesses  were  here  meant.  If 
the  verse  be  translated  just  as  it  stands  in  the  original, 
its  reference  to  them  will  be  sufficiently  clear :  thus, 
*'  In  like  manner,  also,  must  the  women  be  grave," 
&c.  ;  that  is,  the  women  who  hold  a  relation  similar  to 
that  held  by  the  men  just  mentioned. 

De  Wette,  and  Wiesinger  in  his  continuation  of 
Olshausen  so  understand  this  verse.  De  Wette  pro- 
duces Chrysostom,  Theodoret,  Theophylact,  Oscolam- 
padius,  Pelagius,  Grotius,  Mosheim,  Michaelis,  as 
referring  the  passage  to  deaconesses  ;  Luther,  Beza, 
Bengel,  Rosenmuller,  Heinrichs,  Heydenreich,  Wegs- 
cheider,  Matthaie,  to  the  wives  of  deacons ;  and  Cal- 
vin, Estius,  Calovius,  Macknight,  to  the  wives  of 
bishops  and  deacons. 

The  church  historians  speak,  without  hesitation,  of 
deaconesses  in  the  first  Gentile  churches. 


> 


APPENDIX. 


77 


IV.     Pages  5-10,  Ch.  II.,  Part  I. 

ON  THE  ORIGIN  AND  SETTLEMENT  OF  OFFICERS  IN 
CHURCHES-  DURING  THE  APOSTOLIC  AGE,  AS  REP- 
RESENTED   BY    VARIOUS    WRITERS. 

The  Christian  assembly,  or  church  in  Jerusalem 
had  at  first,  so  far  as  appears,  no  officers  besides  the 
apostles.  They  stood,  as  it  were,  naturally  at  the  head 
of  affairs.  Religious  exercises  on  occasions  of  worship 
did  not  require  an  official  arrangement,  being  probably 
the  spontaneous  expression  by  the  apostles  and  others, 
who  possessed  the  requisite  gifts,  of  their  views  and 
feelings  ;  they  spoke  and  prayed  according  as  they  felt 
the  impulse  so  to  do.  The  apostles,  for  a  time,  found 
it  not  too  burdensome  to  have  charge  of  various  mat- 
ters relating  to  the  care  of  the  members  ;  and  whatever 
was  needed  as  to  accommodations  for  worship  and 
any  special  services  would  be  readily  performed  by 
suitable  persons.  The  burial  of  Ananias  and  Sapphira 
illustrates  this :  "  the  young  men  arose,  wound  them 
up  and  buried  them,"  Acts  v.  6,  10.  We  need  not 
suppose  that  the  young  men  did  this  officially. 


1 78  APPENDIX. 

At  length,  however,  the  care  of  the  necessitous 
widows  became  an  occasion  of  embarrassment ;  and 
the  apostles  directed  the  election  of  seven  men  expressly 
for  this  business.  Acts  vi.  1-4.  This  is  the  first  inti- 
mation of  any  officers  being  appointed.  It  may  be 
interesting  here  to  notice  briefly  some  of  the  methods 
which  have  been  devised  for  explaining  the  origin  and 
final  settlement  of  officers  in  the  churches. 

1.  The  view  of  Mosheim,  in  his  Institutes  of  Eccle- 
siastical History,  Vol.  I.,  pp.  67-70,  Murdock's  trans- 
lation is,  that  the  Christian  body  had  its  elders  from  the 
first  and  its  deacons,  or  those  who  rendered  service 
other  than  that  of  teaching  and  prayer.  Among  these 
deacons  were  the  young  men  who  buried  Ananias  and 
Sapphira.  But  as  this  company  of  deacons  managed 
the  alms-distribution  in  an  unsatisfactory  way,  the 
apostles  advised  the  election  of  an  additional  company 
of  seven  to  prevent  occasions  of  jealousy. 

2.  Neander's  theory  is,  that  very  early  in  the  exist- 
ence of  the  church  in  Jerusalem  a  number  of  elders 
were  chosen  for  the  general  regulation  of  its  affairs. 
They  were  not  by  their  office  teachers,  —  History  of 
the  Christian  Religion  and  Church,  Vol.  I.,  p.  1S6  — 
though  they  might,  like  others,  have  the  gift  of  teaclv 


APPENDIX.  179 

ing  or  preaching.  In  addition  to  those,  agreeabl}^  to 
the  sixth  chapter  of  Acts,  another  company  of  officers 
was  chosen,  the  deacons,  p.  1S8.* 

A  special  office  for  teaching,  or  preaching,  was  not 
at  first  required,  p.  1S6,  since  freeness  of  communica- 
tion in  teaching  and  exhortation  was  encouraged  by 
the  abundant  influence  of  the  Spirit,  and  some  pos- 
sessed, as  their  spiritual  endowment,  the  gift  of  teach- 
ing. The  qualifications  for  teaching  may  have  been 
possessed  by  some  elders,  as  well  as  by  other  members 
of  the  church  ;  so  that  the  same  man  was  sometimes 
both  an  elder  and  a  teacher,  though  not  a  teacher  by 
virtue  of  being  an  elder.  These  two  kinds  of  service 
were  frequently  performed  by  the  same  man  ;  and  thus 
there  was  a  tendency  to  combine  in  the  same  person 
the  twofold  service  of  elder  and  teacher.  Accordingly 
towards  the  end  of  the  apostolic  period,  "  aptness  to 
teach" — I  Tim.  iii.  2  —  came  to  be  included  among 
the  qualifications  of  an  elder,  otherwise  called  bishop ; 

*  In  Neander's  Church  History,  an  account  is  first  given 
of  the  office  of  elders,  p.  184,  and  subsequently  of  that  of  dea- 
cons, p.  18S.  In  his  Planting  and  Training,  the  office  of 
deacon  is  first  treated  of,  pp.  -^-i)-!  34;  and  subsequently  that 
of  elders,  p.  35. 


l8o  APPENDIX. 

and  a  bishop  was  required,  Titus,  i.  9,  to  maintain  the 
pure  Christian  doctrine  and  defend  it  against  opposers. 

3.  Gieseler's  theory,  in  his  Compendium  of  Eccle- 
siastical History,  Vol.  I.,  p.  74,  Davidson's  translation, 
is,  that  the  first  company  of  disciples  in  Jerusalem  be- 
came gradually  formed  into  a  regular  society  of  which 
the  apostles  were  the  head.  The  first  official  appoint- 
ment was  that  of  the  Seven  as  distributors  of  alms, 
out  of  which  appointment  eventually  arose  the  deacons. 
Soon  after  this,  elders  were  chosen  for  managing  the 
joint  concerns  of  the  church,  not  specially  for  teach- 
ing. 

4.  Another  view  considers  the  election  of  the  Seven 
related  in  the  sixth  of  Acts,  as  a  germ  from  which 
grew  the  twofold  official  arrangement  of  bishop  and 
deacon. 

Here  it  must  first  be  obsei*\'ed  that,  in  the  New^  Testa- 
ment, no  official  name  is  given  to  these  men  ;  probably, 
at  the  time  of  their  election  a  name  was  not  assigned 
to  them,  since  they  were  the  only  officers  and  the 
design  of  their  election  was  specifically  stated.  Sub- 
sequently, however,  a  name  might  have  been  found 
convenient ;  and  as  in  the  Jewish  synagogues,  to 
whose  usages  the  first  Christians  had  been  habituated, 


APPENDIX.  l8l 

the  term  elders  was  employed  for  designating  those 
who  had  the  principal  management  of  affairs,  it  would 
be  natural  that  this  term  should  be  applied  to  the  office- 
bearers in  the  Christian  assembly. 

Again :  some  of  the  men  first  chosen  to  office  in 
Jerusalem  had  the  requisite  endowments,  also,  for 
teachers  and  leaders  of  worship  ;  as  appears  by  the 
instances  of  Stephen  and  Philip.  Others  of  this  com- 
pany were  not  probably,  thus  endowed  ;  their  ability 
consisted  mostly  in  their  adaptation  to  the  more  specific 
duties  of  their  appointment.  A  distribution  of  ser- 
vices would  seem  to  be  thus  provided  for,  and  a 
foundation  to  exist  for,  at  least,  two  classes  of  officers. 

So  In  churches  beyond  Palestine,  in  which  —  agree- 
bly  to  Acts  xiv.  23  —  elders  were  appointed.  If  the 
distinction  between  a  bishop  and  a  deacon  were  not 
established  when  those  churches  were  formed,  yet  the 
diverse  qualifications  of  the  men  who  bore  the  general 
designation  of  elders  would  lay  the  foundation  for  a 
permanent  distinction  of  officers. 

The   arrangement  which  had  become  established  at 

the  close  of.  the  Apostle   Paul's  career,  namely,  tliat 

of  the  two  official  departments  of  bishop  and  deacon, 

may  have   thus   gradually  come  Into  existence.     The 

16 


I  S3  APPENDIX. 

word  elder ^  used  at  first  probably  in  a  general  sense, 
was  occasionally  still  so  used  after  the  distinction  of 
offices  had  arisen  ;  as  perhaps  in  i  Tim.  v.  17,  "  Let 
the  elders  that  rule  well  be  accounted  worthy  of  double 
honor ;  especially  they  which  labor  in  the  word  and 
doctrine."  Some  of  the  elders,  it  would  seem  from 
this,  had  a  sphere  of  service  different  from  preaching. 
Were  not  these  the  deacons,  and  those  who  labored  in 
the  word  and  doctrine  the  pastors,  or  bishops  ?  But 
while  the  word  elder  might  still,  occasionally,  be  ap- 
plied to  both  classes  of  officers,  the  word  bishop  does 
not  seem  to  have  been  thus  used,  but  to  have  had  a 
more  specific  signification. 

The  arrangement  of  offices  in  the  church  would 
seem,  then,  to  have  been  brought  about  in  a  very 
familiar  way  without  extensive  human  foresight.  The 
Spirit  and  providence  of  God  directed  to  a  beginning 
for  the  purpose  of  meeting  a  present  exigency  ;  this 
beginning  proved  a  germ.  If  in  this  way  offices 
sprung  up  and  were  definitely  arranged,  we  cannot  but 
admire  the  method,  and  obsei-ve  its  harmony  with 
other  divine  arrangements,  both  as  to  simplicity  and  to 
multifold  adaiotations. 

Since,  however,  we  have  not  a  sufficient  number  of 


APPENDIX. 


S3 


historical  facts  to  warrant  a  confident  judgment  as  to  the 
origin  of  offices  or  their  development,  and  since  there 
is  room  for  various  modes  of  explanation,  and  since 
the  subject  is  at  best  rather  a  matter  of  curiosity  than 
of  inherent  importance,  we  need  not  be  solicitous  to 
construct  a  theory  respecting  it.  Let  it  suffice,  if  we 
may  ascertain,  as  a  matter  of  fact,  what  were  the 
offices  which  became  established  under  apostolic 
guidance. 


V.     Page  9,  Ch.  III.,  Part  I. 

WHETHER     THERE    WAS    AN     ARISTOCRATIC    ELEMENT 
IN    THE    GOVERNMENT    OF    THE    EARLIEST    CHURCHES. 

Neander,  in  his  History  of  the  Christian 
Church,  Vol.  I.,  p.  184,  expresses  the  opinion  that  the 
council  of  presbyters  [elders]  was  a  body  to  which 
"  the  guidance  of  the  communities  [churches]  was 
everywhere  entrusted,"  and  that  this  council  was  an 
aristocratic  element  originally  existing  in  the  church- 
constitution. 

This  opinion  is  a  questionable  one.  Though  this 
distinguished   author   distinctly  makes  account  of  the 


184  APPENDIX. 

action  of  churches  themselves,  at  least  the  cooperation 
of  churches  with  their  elders,  or  the  participation  of  an 
entire  church  in  matters  of  common  concern,  pp.  189, 
190,  yet  he  gives,  p.  184,  too  much  prominence  to  this 
"  guiding  senate."  The  facts  do  not  warrant  the  as- 
cribing of  so  much  power  to  the  elders :  not  to  say, 
that  there  is  no  evidence  of  an  eldership  existing  till 
some  time  after  church-action  had  commenced. 

So  far  from  the  churches  being  originally  under  a 
"  guiding  senate,"  the  transfer  of  church-business  to 
the  body  of  elders  was  a  departure  from  the  original 
method,  and  may  justly  be  regarded  as  the  introduction 
of  an  unscriptural  aristocracy,  and  the  real  commence- 
ment of  clerical  domination.  The  utmost  extent  to 
which  an  apparently  aristocratic  element  shows  it- 
self in  the  New  Testament  is  in  the  apostles'  giving 
direction  to  matters  on  which  churches  were  to  act. 
But  such  an  aristocratic  element  as  Neander  supposes, 
would  have  been  the  germ  of  a  hierarchy,  since  it  would 
easily  and  without  a  very  lengthened  process,  bring 
church-business  wholly,  in  fact,  if  not  in  name,  into 
the  hands  of  the  officers,  to  the  virtual  annihilation  of 
church-AQ.'iiow.  and  if  the  church-constitution  did  orig- 
inally contain  this  element,  hierarchical  establishments 


APPENDIX.  185 

have  a  strong  defence.  But  in  view  of  the  effects 
which  have  resulted  from  the  transfer  of  church-busi- 
ness to  a  select  official  body,  we  cannot  but  learn  that 
the  real  safety  of  churches  consists  in  their  conducting 
their  own  business  and  government ;  the  officers  re- 
garding themselves  in  such  matters  as  associates  with 
the  church-members  and  occupying  the  position,  "  not 
of  masters,  but  of  ministers."  When  those  whose 
proper  position  is  that  of  ministers  assume  to  be,  or 
are  made  to  be,  masters,  it  is  not  wonderful  that  Chris- 
tian simplicity  gives  way  to  ambition,  and  Christian 
purity  to  corruption. 


VI.     Page  9,  Ch.  III.,  Part  I. 

EXAMINATION     OF   ACTS    XIV.    23,    "WHEN    THEY    HAD 
ORDAINED    THEM    ELDERS,"  &C. 

The  view  is  very  questionable  which  has  frequently 
been  given  of  this  passage,  that  the  word  itself  here 
translated  ordamed  shows  by  its  etymology  that  the 
members  of  the  churches  made  the  election.  Such 
was  Bezas'  opinion  ;  since  he  thus  renders  the  pas- 
15* 


86 


APPENDIX. 


sage,  "  Qiuimque  ipsi  fer  stiff ragla  crcassent  presby- 
teros."  See  Dr.  Campbell's  comment  on  this  render- 
ing in  his  Preliminary  Dissertations,  X.  Part  V.  §  7* 

Etymologically,  the  original  word  signifies  to  stretch 
out  the  ha7id^  as  in  voting.  But  words  often  acquire 
a  meaning  secondary  to  that  which  etymology  would 
impose ;  and  in  the  present  instance  the  primary 
meaning  probably  gave  place  to  the  signification  ap- 
point^ without  retaining  a  reference  to  the  mode  of 
appointing,  just  as  in  Acts  x.  41,  this  word  substan- 
tially expresses  a  choice,  or  appointment,  mac^e  not  by 
man  but  God.  Besides,  as  the  word  here  expresses 
an  act  of  Paul  and  Barnabas,  we  have,  if  the  etymo- 
logical idea  must  be  retained,  the  cumbrous  represen- 
tation by  one  word  that  they  appointed  the  elders  by 
the  voting  of  the  churches.  The  people  might  have 
participated  in  the  appointment ;  but  this  circumstance 
i^^not  conveyed  by  the  term  itself. 

Compare,  for  the  etymological  interpretation,  Cole- 
man's Primitive  Church,  pp.  60-65.  For  a  correct 
philological  view,  see  Dr.  Hackett's  Notes  on  the 
Acts. 


APPENDIX.  187 


VII.     Pages  I I-I2,  Ch.  III.,  Parti. 

CHURCH  GOVERNMENT,  AS  COMPARED  WITH  FORMS    OF 
CIVIL    GOVERNMENT. 

The  government  of  a  Christian  church  has  evidently 
more  resemblance  to  democracy  than  to  any  other  po- 
litical form.  An  important  difference,  hov^ever,  is  to 
be  noticed ;  namely,  a  church  has  a  sovereign  Head, 
whose  will  it  is  bound  to  execute,  and  who  has  dis- 
closed the  principles  on  which  its  action  is  to  proceed. 
It  is  not  a  self-constituted  and,  in  every  respect,  self- 
governing  community,  but  a  community  which  is  to 
be  guided  by  a  fair  interpretation  of  its  Sovereign's 
will,  as  made  known  in  the  New  Testament.  It  is 
not  a  legislative  body,  but  executive.  Its  human  exec- 
utive officers,  like  itself  executive,  not  legislative,  are 
to  carry  out  its  decisions  made  under  the  laws  of 
Christ ;  and  a  church  is  at  liberty  to  form  only  such 
decisions  as,  in  its  judgment,  accord  with  the  revealed 
will  of  its  Sovereign. 

The  fact  that  a  church  is  not  a  legislative  body,  but 


l88  APPENDIX. 

a  deliberative  and  executive  one,  for  ascertaining  and 
carrying  into  effect  the  laws,  or  vv^ill,  of  Christ,  is  so 
distinctive  a  feature,  that  a  comparison  with  any  form 
of  human  government  is  somewhat  perplexing  and  not 
serviceable.  We  cannot  denominate  its  government 
republican  ;  because  with  a  republic  we  associate  the 
thought  of  a  select  representative  body  for  legislation. 
If  we  name  It  democratic,  we  must  yet  remove  from 
our  conception  of  it  the  liability  of  subjection  to  the 
will  and  caprice  of  a  multitude,  because  its  principles 
are  fixed  by  supreme  authority.  If  we  say  it  is  not  a 
monarchy,  we  must  not  forget  that  it  has  an  invisible 
Monarch.  If  we  deny  that  it  is  an  oligarchy,  or  aris- 
tocracy, we  must  still  remember,  that  to  decide  what 
are  the  laws  of  Christ,  how  they  are  to  be  apj^lied,  or 
executed,  may,  at  times,  require  the  cultivated  intel- 
lect, the  wisdom  and  the  practical  skill  which,  in  al- 
most any  company  of  human  beings,  will  distinguish 
a  few  from  others,  and  qualify  them  to  guide  others  to 
right  opinions  anfl  action. 

In  preference  to  any  political  term,  the  word  congre- 
gational has  advantages,  as  not  only  indicating  the 
source  of  action,  but  also  as  agreeing  with  the  just 
simplicit)'  of  ecclesiastical  affairs,  as  divesting  them  of 


APPENDIX.  1 89 

that  governmental  array  which  human  abuse  has 
thrown  around  a  divine  institution,  and  as  being  ap- 
propriate to  the  numerous  small  collections  of  Chris- 
tians to  which  the  New  Testament  entrusts  the  affairs 
of  Christ's  kinsfdom. 


VIII.     Pages  II,  12,  Ch,  III.,  Part  I. 

WHETHER    THE     ORIGINAL     MODE    OF    CHURCH-ACTION 
IS    TO    BE   RETAINED. 

When  we  have  ascertained  from  the  Scriptures  the 
original  mode  of  church-action,  the  inquiry  may  arise, 
whether  that  mode  ought  to  be  everywhere,  and 
always,  retained. 

An  affirmative  reply  to  this  inquiry  rests,  first,  on 
the  weight  of  apostolic  example  in  its  favor ;  and, 
next,  on  its  remarkable  adaptation  to  human  nature. 

This  adaptation  appears  in  the  following  partic- 
ulars : 

1.  It  is  suited  to  all  ages  of  the  world  and  all  coun- 
tries, whatever  be  the  form  of  the  civil  government. 

2.  It  is  suited  to  an  incipient  state  and  to  the  most 
advanced  state  of  Christian  culture.     It  does  not  wear 


190  APPENDIX. 

out,  nor  ever  become  unsuited  to  the  real  purjposes  of 
Christianity. 

3.  It  is  salutary  both  to  clergy  and  to  laity,  with 
reference  both  to  doctrine  and  to  Christian  activity. 
It  is  less  liable  to  abuse  than  modes  of  human  origin ; 
and  w^hen  abuses  arise  in  connection  v^ith  it,  they  can 
more  readily  be  corrected. 

4.  It  is  adapted  to  promote  intellectual  and  moral 
elevation  among  Christians  and,  consequently,  in  man- 
kind. Christianity  was  designed  to  advance  our  na- 
ture to  its  manhood,  and  requires,  in  order  to  be 
properly  apprehended  and  applied,  the  maturity  of 
spiritual  manhood  which  itself  only  can  produce.  Its 
mode  of  church-action  is  in  harmony  with  this  design 
of  advancing  Christians  to  maturity  and  of  still  cher- 
ishing that  maturity. 

5.  It  is  more  pliable  and  better  adapted  to  exigen- 
cies than  any  system  of  church-action  which  is  fixed 
by  human  rules  ;  while  yet  its  just  pliability  does  not 
involve  a  surrender  of  the  vital  principles  of  Christian- 
ity. 

6.  It  tends,  likewise,  to  reform  society  by  keeping 
in  play  the  activity  of  churches  and  of  Christians  indi- 
vidually for  right  objects  and  in  a  right  direction  ;  and 


APPENDIX,  191 

just  SO  far  as  this  tendency  is  interfered  with  by  any 
human  modes  of  church-action,  so  far  the  leavening 
power  of  Christianity  is  impaired,  and  Christianity, 
instead  of  thoroughly  affecting  the  world,  is  itself  in- 
juriously affected  by  the  world  ;  the  world  penetrates 
it  instead  of  its  penetrating  the  world. 


IX.     Pages  2-12,  Ch.  III.,  Part  I. 

VIEWS     OF      CHURCH     HISTORIANS      RESPECTING      THE 
EARLIEST    CHURCHES. 

Among  church-historians  of  learning  and  imparti- 
ality a  general  agreement  exists,  in  reference  both  to 
the  organization  and  to  the  action  of  the  churches 
formed  in  apostolic  times.  The  opinions  of  Neander 
have,  in  the  course  of  this  chapter,  been  casually  intro- 
duced. An  additional  specimen  of  the  testimony  of 
ecclesiastical  historians  may  here  be  in  place. 

Mosheim  in  his  Commentaries  on  the  State  of  Chris- 
tianity during  the  first  three  hundred  and  twenty-five 
years  from  the  Christian  Era,  Vol.  i.  p.  146,  Mur- 
dock's  ed.  says  :  "  The  power  •  •  •  of  appointing 
teaciiers  and  ministers     •     •     •     •     was  lodged  in  the 


192  APPENDIX. 

people  at  large ;  nor  did  the  apostles,  although  in- 
vested with  divine  authority,  either  resolve  on  or  sanc- 
tion anything  whatever  without  the  knowledge  and 
concurrence  of  the  general  body  of  Christians  of  which 
the  church  was  composed." 

P.  171.  "  When  a  number  of  Christians,  therefore, 
were  collected  together  sufficient  to  form  a  church, 
certain  men  of  gravity  and  approved  faith  were  with- 
out delay  appointed,  either  by  the  apostles  themselves, 
or  their  companions,  with  the  assent  of  the  multitude, 
to  preside  over  it,  under  the  title  of  presbyters  [elders] 
or  bishops." 

P.  179.  "  Every  church  was  composed  of  three 
constituent  parts:  ist,  Teachers,  who  were  also  in- 
vested with  the  government  of  the  community,  accord- 
ing to  the  laws  ;  2dly,  Ministers  of  each  sex  [deacons 
and  deaconesses]  ;  and  3rdly,  The  multitude,  or  peo- 
ple. Of  these  parts,  the  chief  in  point  of  authority 
was  the  people  ;  for  to  them  belonged  the  appoint- 
ment of  the  bishop  and  presbyters,  as  well  as  of  the 
inferior  ministers :  with  them  resided  the  power  of 
enacting  laws,  as  also  of  adopting  or  rejecting  what- 
ever might  be  proposed  in  the  general  assemblies,  and 
of  expelling  and  again  receiving  into  communion  any 


APPENDIX. 


193 


depraved  or  iinworth}^  members.  In  short,  nothing 
whatever  of  an}-  moment  could  be  determined,  or  car- 
ried into  eflect,  without  their  knowledge  and  concur- 
rence." 

P.  196.  "  Although  all  the  churches  were,  in  this 
first  age  of  Christianity,  united  together  in  one  com- 
mon bond  of  faith  and  love,  and  were  in  every  respect 
ready  to  promote  the  interests  and  welfare  of  each 
other  by  a  reciprocal  interchange  of  good  offices  ;  yet 
with  regard  to  government  and  internal  economy, 
every  individual  church  considered  itself  as  an  inde- 
pendent community,  none  of  them  ever  looking  in 
these  respects,  beyond  the  circle  of  its  own  members 
for  assistance,  or  recognizing  any  sort  of  external  in- 
fluence or  authority.  Neither  in  the  New  Testament, 
nor  in  auy  ancient  document  whatever,  do  we  find 
any  thing  recorded,  from  whence  it  might  be  inferred 
that  any  of  the  minor  churches  were  at  all  dependent 
on,  or  looked  for  direction  to,  those  of  greater  magni- 
tude or  consequence  ;  on  the  contrary,  several  things 
occur  therein  which  put  it  out  of  all  doubt  that  every 
one  of  them  enjoyed  the  same  rights  and  was  consid- 
ered as  being  on  a  footing  of  the  most  perfect  equality 
with  the  rest.  Indeed,  it  cannot  —  I  will  not  say,  be 
17 


194  APPENDIX. 

proved,  —  but  even  made  appear  probable  from  any 
testimony,  divine  or  human,  that  in  this  age  it  was  the 
practice  for  several  churches  to  enter  into,  and  main- 
tain among  themselves,  that  sort  of  association  which 
afterwards  came  to  subsist  amongst  the  churches  of 
almost  every  province  ;  I  allude  to  their  assembling 
by  their  bishops,  at  stated  periods,  for  the  purpose  of 
enacting  general  laws  and  determining  any  questions 
or  controversies  that  might  arise  respecting  divine 
matters."  ^ 


X.     Page  4,  Ch.  IV.,  Part  I. 

ON  THE    SIMPLICITY  OF    REQUISITES,  ORIGINALLY,  FOR 
CHURCH-MEMBERSHIP. 

It  may  be  profitable  to  contemplate  the  simplicity 
of  requisites  for  church-membership,  agreeably  to  the 
view  presented  on  pp.  3,  4,  as  almost  necessarily  leav- 
ing room  for  a  wide  range  of  religious  speculation 
among  the  early  converts  and  leading  to  diversity  of 
opinion  on  various  topics.  This  circumstance,  how- 
ever, accordant  with  the  genius  of  Christianity,  was 
doubtless  abused  :  and  the  abuse  led  to  those  unhappy 


APPENDIX.  195 

dii?agrcemcnts  of  religious  opinion  which  arose  in 
some  quarters,  even  during  the  apostles'  times,  and 
which  subsequently  increased. 

In  reference  to  this  state  of  things,  we  must  con- 
sider how  wide  spread  was  the  tenet  that  Jesus  was 
the  Messiah,  and  what  myriads,  according  to  Acts  xxi. 
20,  in  the  original,  of  Jews  had  embraced  it,  as  well 
as  many  from  among  the  Gentiles ;  and  yet,  how 
small  w^as  the  number  of  well  qualified  teachers  of 
Christianity,  to  detect  the  latent  seeds  of  error,  and  to 
fill  the  minds  of  the  professed  converts  with  pure 
Christian  doctrine.  We  must,  also,  consider  the  al- 
most irresistible  tendencies  among  the  converted  Jews, 
to  perpetuate  what  was  distinctively  Jewish  and  had 
really  been  displaced  ;  also,  the  probability  that  some 
besides  Simon  the  sorcerer,  Acts  viii.  &c.,  made  a 
hollow  profession,  and  that  others,  both  Jev^s  and 
Gentiles,  though  holding  to  the  Messiahship  of  Jesus, 
would,  through  some  lingering  philosophical  preju- 
dices, combine  with  Christianity  various  dogmas  for- 
eign to  its  simplicity,  or  modify  the  new  doctrines  so 
as,  at  least,  to  reconcile  them  with  various  favorite 
articles  of  belief.  We  must  consider,  again,  how 
active  such  men  would  be  in  the  absence  of  apostles, 


19^  APPENDIX. 

or  other  qualified  expounders  of  the  Christian  system, 
and  in  the  absence  of  an  authoritative  written  standard 
of  the  Christian  faith,  such  as  we  possess  in  the  New 
Testament.  It  is,  surely,  not  surprising  that  Judaiz- 
ing  Christians  arose  and  that  multitudes  were  made  a 
spoil  of  "  through  philosophy  and  vain  deceit." 

This  abuse,  however,  as  is  above  intimated,  is  one 
of  the  unavoidable  accompaniments  of  a  religion 
which  so  directly  and  strongly  addresses  the  intellect, 
as  well  as  the  heart ;  and  which  comes  in  contact  with 
the  hum.an  intellect  in  all  stages  of  its  development, 
and  in  all  diversities  of  circumstances,  whether  favor- 
able, or  unfavorable,  to  its  healthful  action. 

In  addition  to  corruptions  of  doctrine,  the  sim- 
plicity of  requisites  for  church-membership,  in  connec- 
tion with  the  deeply  immoral  state  of  society  in  those 
times,  will  aid  in  accounting  for  the  failure  of  so  many 
among  the  early  professed  Christians  to  exemplify  the 
morality  of  the  gospel.  Though  they  admitted  its 
central  truth,  they  could  not  sufficiently  apprehend, 
nor  appreciate,  its  elevated  morality,  and  hence  fell  a 
prey  to  temptation.  It  is  not  surprising,  then,  that 
while  the  apostolic  age  signally  exemplified  in  numer- 
ous instances  the  sanctifying  and  elevating  power  of 


APPENDIX.  197 

the  gospel,  it  was  also  encumbered  with  defective  and 
hollow-hearted  profession  ;  and  that  in  the  primitive 
churches,  as  appears  from  the  Epistles  directed  to 
them,  were  members  who  needed  cautions  in  regard 
to  the  simplest  requisitions  of  morality. 


XI.     Page  3,  Ch.  V.,  Part  I. 

ON  THE  EARLY  DEPARTURE  FROM  CHURCH- 
INDEPENDENCE. 

The  independence  which  evidently  marked  the 
earliest  churches,  is  so  different  from  the  relative  posi- 
tion in  which,  history  teaches  us,  churches  stood  soon 
after  the  ajDOstolic  age,  that  a  few  thoughts  on  this 
topic  may  be  not  out  of  place. 

The  sentiment  of  fraternity  and  equality,  so  con- 
genial with  Christianity  and  so  naturally  flowing  from 
the  spirit  which  our  Lord  inculcated  on  his  disciples, 
very  soon  gave  way  to  that  of  superiority  and  subordi- 
nation. Churches  in  cities  came  to  be  regarded,  by 
congregations  which  had  sprung  up  through  their 
agency  in  the  surrounding  country,  with  a  feeling  of 
17* 


I9S  APPENDIX. 

dependence.  The  church  in  a  city  was  a  mother  ;  the 
congregations  in  the  rural  districts  around  were 
daughters,  and  that  not  merely  in  affection,  but  also 
as  to  dependence.  This  connection  was  perfectly 
natural  and  consistent  up  to  a  certain  point.  But  at 
length,  the  civil  distinctions  in  the  Roman  empire  came 
to  have  the  influence  of  models,  whether  consciously  or 
unconsciously  to  Christian  leaders,  for  the  relation  of 
churches  to  one  another.  As  the  metropolis  of  a 
province  was  the  seat  of  civil  authority  over  all  the 
minor  cities  and  towns  in  the  province,  so  the  church 
in  the  metropolis  was  regarded  as  a  sort  of  central 
point  from  which  ecclesiastical  influence  emanated 
throughout  the  province. 

This  governmental  idea  was  still  further  extended  ; 
so  that,  in  harmony  with  the  civil  arrangement  by 
which  the  large  capitals,  Rome,  Antioch,  Ephesus, 
Corinth  and  Alexandria  were  each  empowered  with  a 
species  of  jurisdiction  over  the  corresponding  divisions 
of  the  empire,  these  five  principal  cities  were  so  many 
central  points  of  ecclesiastical  authority  for  the  same 
divisions  ;  and,  as  a  natural  result  of  this  commingling 
of  ecclesiastical  and  civil  ideas,  the  chief  city,  Rome, 


APPENDIX. 


99 


became  in  due  time  the  chief  seat  of  ecclesiastial 
power,  and,  at  length,  the  papacy  was  established.* 

Now  all  this  arose  from  overlooking  the  fraternal 
character  of  Christianity,  and  from  applying  to  a  king- 
dom, which  is  not  of  this  world,  the  maxims  and 
policy  of  a  worldly  domination.  And  the  results, 
which  have  come  from  engrafting  on  Christianity  a 
germ  taken  from  civil  government,  should  effectually 
caution  the  people  of  Christ  against  the  opinion,  that 
the  organization  and  government  of  churches  may 
safely  be  conformed  to  existing  civil  arrangements  in 
any  country  where  Christianity  obtains  footing.  Up 
to  a  certain  point,  dependence  in  a  Christian  congrega- 
tion or  a  neighboring  larger  one  is  proper  and  safe ; 
but  that  point  having  been  reached,  namely,  ability  to 
sustain  itself  and  conduct  its  own  affairs,  the  principle 
of  fraternity  and  equality  should  have  play  ;  the  period 
of  childhood  and  youth  being  passed,  the  responsibili- 
ties and  rights  of  manhood  should  at  once  succeed,  for 
the  child  has  become  a  man. 

tt  is,  obviously,  the  Creator's  will  that  when  a  family, 
small   and  perhaps  weak,  is  set  off  from  a  numerous 

*  Neander's  History  of  the  Christian  Religion  and  Church, 
Vol.  I.,  pp.  202-204. 


200  APPENDIX. 

household,  though  it  ought  to  cherish  respect  for  the 
original  family  and  may  for  awhile  be  dependent  on 
it,  yet  it  should  be,  or  become,  a  separate  family,  and 
conduct  its  own  concerns.  The  case  is  the  same  in 
regard  to  colonies  and  provinces  of  nations.  Depen- 
dence is  safe  and  salutary,  till  the  inherent  power  of 
the  smaller  community  becomes  adequate  to  self-gov- 
ernment ;  beyond  that  jDoint,  dependence  is  cramping 
to  the  inferior,  and  lordship  tends  to  produce,  in  the 
superior,  arrogance  and  tryanny. 

Just  so  in  church  affairs.  In  accordance  with  spec- 
imens in  the  New  Testament,  Christianity  requires 
for  its  harmonious  and  efficient  development,  that  the 
principle  of  fraternal  equality  should  pervade  its  move- 
ments ;  and  that  at  numerous  spots,  here  and  there,  all 
over  the  world,  separate  centres  of  enlightening  and 
sanctifying  influence  should  be  established,  from  which 
that  influence  shall  penetrate  the  surrounding  darkness 
and  sinfulness,  according  to  its  own  inherent  energies 
and  in  freedom  from  all  extraneous  control  which 
might  impair  its  energies. 

It  is  instructive  to  observe  how  directly  this  spirit 
of  superiority  and  subordination  came  into  conflict 
with  a  class  of  churches,  in  rural   districts,  that  had 


APPENDIX.  20I 

originated  and  had  become  centres  of  Christian  activity 
before  civil  arrangements  had  been  appHed  to  church- 
aftairs.  The  bishops  of  these  old  churches  in  rural 
districts  refused  to  surrender  their  independence,  and 
to  act  in  harmony  with  the  new  system  of  subordina- 
tion to  city  churches.  Collisions  arose,  consequently, 
between  them  and  those  bishops  whose  rank  and 
power  were  regulated  by  conformity  to  the  civil 
arrangements  ;  and,  gradually,  the  bishops  of  those 
ancient  country  churches  were  more  and  more  re- 
stricted in  their  action  by  the  overwhelming  influence 
of  the  new  order  of  things,  and  eventually  such 
churches  and  bishops  disappear  from  history.* 

*  Neander's  Church  History,  Vol.  I.,  p.  202:  Vol.  II.,  pp. 
159,  160. 


202  APPENDIX. 


XII.     Page  7,  Ch.  V.,  Part  I. 
THEORY    OF   DENOMINATIONAL   DIVERSITY. 

The  view  j^resented  in  the  paragraphs  here  referred 
to  suggests  the  true  theory  of  denominational  diversity 
among  professed  Christians.     Diversity  as  to  the  vital 
elements  of  Christianity,  or  as  to  church-organization, 
particularly    as   connected  with   the   ordinances,  pro- 
duces    diversity  of   sects ;    the    several    members,   or 
churches,  of  each  sect  being  far  more  intimately  con- 
nected with  one  another,  than  with  churches  of  other 
sects.     At  the   same  time,  between  these  several  sects, 
as  between  Christians  viewed   individually,  notwith- 
standing their  differences  of  judgment,  there  will  be 
various  points  of  agreement :  and   therefore,  as  to  the 
duties   involved  in   the   mutual   relation  of  churches, 
and  as  to  the   conduct  of  different  sects,  or  denomina- 
tions toward  one  another,  the  apostolic  injunction  in 
Phil.  iii.  i5,  i6  should  be  acted  on:   "  Whcreunto  we 
have  attained,  let    us  walk  by  the  same  rule,   let  us 


APPENDIX.  203 

mind  the  same  thing."  But  wherein  any  differ,  it 
would  be  absurd  to  expect  them  to  walk  by  the  same 
rule. 


XIII.     Page  10,  Ch.  V.,  Part  I. 

PRACTICAL     HINTS     IN     REGARD     TO     ECCLESIASTICAL 
COUNCILS. 

1.  The  membership  of  a  council  should  be  restric- 
ted to  the  very  persons  whom  the  churches  have 
appointed.  Responsibility  has  been  laid  on  them  in 
particular.  The  members  of  a  council,  then,  are  not 
at  liberty  to  introduce  into  their  number,  as  acting 
members,  any  other  persons.  They  may  seek  wisdom 
from  any  quarter ;  and  may  consequently  invite  any 
suitable  persons  to  deliberate  with  them. 

2.  The  subject  to  be  presented  should  be  invariably 
made  known  to  the  churches  from  which  a  deputation 
is  requested. 

3.  As  a  measure  of  prudence,  if  not  of  right,  every 
church  which  is  requested  to  send  delegates  to  a 
council  should  be  informed  to  what  other  churches  the 
request  has  been  cent. 


204  APPENDIX. 

4.  The  deliberations  of  a  council  should  be  confined 
to  the  subject,  or  subjects,  referred  to  it.  It  is  not  at 
liberty,  in  the  capacity  of  a  council,  to  deliberate  and 
advise  on  other  subjects. 

5.  Resort  should  be  had  to  councils  for  the  settle- 
ment of  difficulties  as  seldom  as  possible.  This 
method  of  seeking  a  settlement  is  liable  to  perpetuate 
and  aggravate  the  difficulties,  and  to  interfere  with  the 
self-reliance, of  churches.  A  church,  formed  agreea- 
bly to  the  New  Testament,  and  cherishing  the  right 
spirit,  is  ordinarily  quite  competent  to  its  own  guid- 
ance. 


XIV.  Pages  1-4,  Ch.  I.,  Part  II. 

ON  neander's  view  of  the  christian  ministry. 

It  is  not,  perhaps,  surprising  that  Neander  (Church 
History,  Vol.  i.  pp.  193-199)  should  regard  the  Chris- 
tian ministry  as  merely  a  providential  growth  of  cir- 
cumstances, and  as  not  being  an  original,  or  apostolic, 
arrangement.  He  thinks  that  the  separation  of  men 
from  secular  pursuits  to  the  special  service  of  preach- 
ing, and  other  ministerial  duties,  arose  after  the  apes- 


APPENDIX. 


205 


tolic  age,  when,  through  the  enhirgcment  of  churches, 
and  the  consequent  increase  of  care  and  hibor  for  their 
benefit,  those  who  were  teachers,  or  preachers,  could 
not  find  time  for  procuring  their  own  livelihood  by 
secular  pursuits ;  and  particularly,  when  the  idea  of 
the  special  sanctity  of  the  Jewish  priesthood,  as  sepa- 
rate from  the  common  people,  as  not  allowed  to  par- 
ticipate in  secular  enployments,  and  as  the  appointed 
medium  of  spiritual  blessings,  had  become  transferred 
to  those  who  occupied  the  position  of  teachers  among 
the  Christians.  This  idea,  mainly,  he  thinks,  origina- 
ted ^/le  clergy  among  Christians,  as  a  distinct  order. 
,  That  the  office  of  the  Christian  ministry,  requiring 
the  separation  of  certain  men  to  its  duties,  existed  sub- 
stantially in  the  apostolic  age,  seems  to  be  in  har- 
mony with  the  New  Testament.  In  consequence, 
also,  of  the  spiritual  and  absorbing  nature  of  its  duties, 
it  has,  evidently,  an  eminence  in  the  New  Testament 
above  the  other  church-office..  And  though,  for  a 
considerable  period,  the  men  occupied  in  it  may  not 
have  received  their  support  from  churches,  on  account 
of  existing  circumstances,  yet  the  te?zdency  was  to  that 
result ;  and  whenever  and  wherever  circumstances 
made  it  necessary,  the  divine  requirement,  stated  in 
18 


2o6  APPENDIX. 

I.  Cor.  ix.  14,  took  efTect.  This  view  helps,  also,  per- 
haps, more  than  the  other,  to  account  for  the  abuse  of 
regarding  those  who  served  in  the  ministry  as  a 
priestly  caste  ;  since,  according  to  it,  there  was  an  ac- 
tual basis  on  which  such  an  abuse  might  rest. 

The  course  which  Neander's  mind  took,  on  this  sub- 
ject, may  have  originated  in  the  fact,  that  all  the 
ecclesiastical  arrangements  to  which  he  had  been  ac- 
customed gave  a  priestly  air  to  the  ministry,  sunder- 
ing Christian  ministers  from  the  people,  as  a  sort  of 
mediating  class,  having  some  peculiar  official  holi- 
ness, and  being  peculiarly  a  channel  of  spiritual 
influences  to  the  people.  The  unscripturalness  of 
this  view  and  its  utter  lack  of  conformity  to  the  genius 
of  Christianity,  he  clearly  perceived ;  but  he  seems  to 
have  gone  to  an  extreme  in  the  opposite  direction, 
not  tracing  the  ministry,  as  a  separate  sphere  of  Chris- 
tian service,  to  a  divine  sanction.  If  we  take  the 
medium  course,  and  regard  ministers  of  the  gospel  as 
public  teachers  of  the  Christian  religion,  not  as  a 
peculiarly  holy  caste,  not  as  a  divinely  appointed  and 
necessary  channel  for  spiritual  influences  to  the  peo- 
ple, and  not  favored,  officially,  with  more  intimate 
access    to   God    than    the    people  themselves,  yet  as 


APPENDIX.  207 

having  special  responsibilities  and  occupying  a  di- 
vinely appointed  station,  we  avoid  both  extremes.  In 
Christianity,  all  believers  are  priests  to  God,  offering 
him  service  and  allowed  intimate  access  to  him.  Still, 
this  community  of  priests,  that  is,  the  entire  Christian 
body,  needs  official  arrangements  in  order  that  the 
priestly  character  and  blessings  may  be  secured  and 
enjoyed. 


XV.     Page  ID,  Ch.  II.,  Part  II. 

WOMEN     ENDOWED     WITH    THE     PROPHETIC     GIFT. 

WOMEN,    IN    REFERENCE    TO    ADDRESSING    PROMIS- 
CUOUS  RELIGIOUS    ASSEMBLIES. 

The  prophetic  gift  was  possessed  by  women  as  well 
as  men.  The  daughters  of  Philip  the  evangelist, 
Acts  xxi.  S,  9,  were  endowed  with  it.  Other  women, 
in  the  earliest  times  of  the  gospel,  would  seem  to  have 
possessed  it,  since  the  prediction,  quoted  by  the  ajoos- 
tle  Peter  on  the  day  of  Pentecost,  contains  the  decla- 
ration. Acts  ii.  17,  "your  sons  and  your  daughters 
shall  prophesy."  This  is  also  implied  in  i  Cor.  xi.  5, 
"  every  woman  that  prayeth  or  prophesietii." 


2o8  appp:ndix. 

Iti  regard  to  the  sphere  of  activity  for  Christian 
women  ordinarily,  all  the  instructions  of  the  apostle 
Paul  presuppose  that  only  men  are  to  serve  in  the 
ministry^  i  Tim.  iii.  i-6,  Tit.  i.  6-9 ;  and  in  i  Tim. 
ii.  II,  12,  he  expressly  forbids  women  to  take  the  po- 
sition of  public  teachers  of  religion.  In  conformity 
to  this  general  statement  are  the  instructions  of  the 
apostle  in  i  Tim.  ii.  8-12,  in  which  he  draws  a  dis- 
tinction between  the  believing  men  and  the  believing 
women  as  to  their  respective  spheres  of  action  :  "  I 
will  that  the  me7i  (the  word  in  the  original  is  expres- 
sive of  sex,  and  is  here  used  in  contrast  with  the  word 
women^  in  the  9th  verse)  pray  everywhere  (that  is,  in 
everyplace  of  assembling),  lifting  up  holy  hands,"  &c  : 
"  In  like  manner  that  womeit  adorn  themselves  in  mod- 
est apparel.  .  .  .  with  good  works.  Let  the 
woman  learn  in  silence  with  all  subjection.  But  I 
suffer  not  a  woman  to  teach,"  &c. 

The  apostle  thus  expressly  forbids  women  to  become 
public  teachers  of  religion.  So  in  i  Cor.  xiv.  34,  35, 
he  enjoins  silence  on  women  in  public  (compare  verses 
23,  24),  religious  assemblies  :  "  Let  your  women  keep 
silence  in  the  churches  ;  for  it  is   not  permitted  unto 


APPENDIX.  209 

them  to  speak.     .     .     .     for  It  is  a  shame  for  women 
to  speak  in  the  church." 

There  is  another  passage  which,  apparently,  al- 
lowed an  exception  to  the  rule  which  the  apostle  had 
laid  down.  In  i  Cor.  xi.  5,  he  says,  "  Every  woman 
that  prayeth  or  prophesieth  with  her  head  uncovered, 
dishonoreth  her  head."  It  seems  that  some  of  the 
women  in  the  church  of  Corinth  prayed  and  prophe- 
sied (that  is,  made  religious  addresses),  and  perhaps 
uttered  predictions  in  public  with  their  heads  uncov- 
ered ;  a  practice  which  the  apostle  condemned  as  un- 
seemly and  contrary  to  the  dictates  of  nature.  He 
therefore  insisted  that  a  woman  praying  or  prophesy- 
ing should,  when  so  doing,  wear  a  head-covering. 
The  most  satisfactory  explanation  of  this  passage  is, 
that  it  refers  to  those  women  who  really  possessed  the 
prophetic  gift  and  whom  as  being  impelled  by  the 
Holy  Spirit  he  would  only  instruct  as  to  the  manner  in 
which  they  should  exercise  their  gift,  inasmuch  as  "  the 
spirit  of  the  prophets  were  subject  to  the  prophets." 
I  Cor.  xiv.  33.  In  all  other  cases  he  would  apply 
without  any  restriction,  the  demands  of  propriety. 
Whether  propriety  admits  of  a  woman's  praying,  or 
exhorting,  in  public,  while  she  does  not  encroach  on 
18* 


2IO  APPENDIX. 

the  province  of  teachbig^  would  be  variously  decided, 
according  to  the  circumstances  and  usages  of  various 
localities. 

But  the  general  rule  in  relation  to  women's  address- 
ing public  religious  assemblies  is  clear.  This  rule  is, 
of  course,  not  in  the  least  unfavorable  to  the  assem- 
bling of  devout  women,  by  themselves,  for  social 
prayer  and  other  modes  of  mutual  religious  benefit, 
or  to  their  expressing  their  religious  experiences  in  pri- 
vate meetings  of  the  church,  or  to  their  privately  min- 
istering to  the  doctrinal  improvement  of  even  their 
Christian  brethren,  after  the  example  of  Priscilla  who 
with  her  husband  Aquila,  expounded  unto  Apollos,  in 
their  house,  the  way  of  God  more  perfectly.  Acts 
xviii.  26. 


APPENDIX.  211 


XVI.     Pages  1-3  Ch.  III.,  II. 

TESTIMONIALS   TO    THE    ORIGINAL    IDENTITY  OF  PRES- 
BYTERS   AND    BISHOPS. 

The  testimony  of  early  writers  to  the  original  iden- 
tity of  presbyters  and  bishops  is  clear  and  explicit. 

Clement  of  Rome,  believed  by  many  to  be  the  same 
as  is  mentioned  by  the  apostle  in  Phil.  iv.  3,  and  whose 
extant  writings  date  as  far  back  as  about  the  end  of 
the  first  century,  makes  no  mention  of  an  order  of 
men  intermediate  between  the  bishop  and  the  deacons. 
In  his  first  epistle  to  the  Corinthians,  chapter  42,  he 
expresses  himself  in  precise  harmony  with  the  New 
Testament,  naming  only  bishops  and  deacons. 

Polycarp,  the  third  Christian  writer  after  Clement, 
resembles  him  in  this  matter  ;  only  he  uses  the  word 
fresbyter^  or  elder,  in  place  of,  and  equivalent  to,  the 
word  bishop.  See  his  epistle  to  the  Philippians, 
chapters  v.  and  vi. 

Intermediate  between  Clement  and  Polycarp  is  Ig- 
natius.    Epistles  ascribed  to  him   make  very  frequent 


212  APPENDIX. 


mention  of  the  three  classes,  bishops,  presbyters,  and 
deacons,  and  indicate  a  marked  superiority  of  the 
bishop  over  the  other  orders.  This  singular  fact  of 
his  diversity  from  the  writer  preceding  him,  and  the 
writer  succeeding,  is  explained  by  the  discovery,  which 
is  acquiesced  in  by  the  learned,  that  the  epistles  which 
have  long  been  ascribed  to  Ignatius  are,  either  whole- 
sale forgeries,  or  have  been  grossly  interpolated. 

A  few  quotations  from  Gieseler's  Ecclesiastical  His- 
tory, and  extracts  from  the  Christian  Fathers  to  whom 
he  refers,  are  here  added.  In  Vol.  I.  pp.  90  and  91, 
Davidson's  translation,  he  produces  the  declaration  of 
Jerome  (1420),  who  says,  in  Epistle  82  [S3]  ad 
Oceanum,  "  Among  the  ancients,  bishops  and  pres- 
byters were  the  same."  In  his  commentary  on  Titus 
i.  7,  Jerome  also  says,  "  A  presbyter  is  the  same  as  a 
bishop,"  and  proceeds  to  remark  that,  after  schisms 
arose  in  the  church,  it  became  the  universal  practice 
to  elevate  one  above  the  other  presbyters,  and  devolve 
on  him  a  greater  responsibility,  $0  as  to  prevent 
schisms.  "As  therefore,"  he  remarks,  "the  presby- 
ers  know  that  they  are  subject  by  the  custom  of  the 
church  to  him  who  has  been  set  over  them,  so  bishops 
should  know  that  they  are  superior  to  presbyters  more 


APPENDIX. 


213 


by  custom  than  by  divine  appointment,  and  that  they 
ought  to  govern  the  church  in  common,"  that  is,  the 
bishops  in  common  with  the  presbyters. 

Chrysostom  (1407),  on  Phil.  i.  i,  says,  "  The  apos- 
tle here  calls  the  elders  bishops  ;  for  at  that  time  these 
names  were  used  in  common,  and  a  bishop  was  called 
iiaxovoq^  a  minister."  In  confirmation  of  the  re- 
mark that  the  terms,  presbyter  and  bishop,  were  ap- 
plicable to  the  same  person,  he  refers  to  Titus  i.  5,  7, 
where  the  apostle  interchanges  these  terms.  '"It  after- 
wards became  the  practice,"  he  adds,  "to  appropriate 
each  of  these  terms  to  a  different  person." 

Theodoret  (t457)  makes  a  similar  declaration  in  his 
interpretation  of  Phil.  i.  i.  The  apostle,  he  says, 
"  here  calls  the  elders,  bishops  ;  for,  at  that  time,  they 
had  both  these  names.  And  this,"  he  continues,  "  the 
history  of  the  Acts  teaches  us."  He  then  produces 
Acts  XX.  17,  28,  where  these  two  words  are  applied  to 
the  same  persons,  and  refers  to  Titus  i.  5,  7.  Pie  adds, 
"It  is  evident  that  he  gives  the  name  bishops  to  the 
presbyters." 

Gieseler  shows  also  that  this  view  of  the  original 
identity  of  bishops  and  presbyters  was  long  retained. 
It  is  found  in  writings  bearing  the  dates  of  1088,  1091, 


214  APPENDIX. 

142S,  and  even  so  low  as  1563,  and  1570.  "  Since  no 
value  was  set,  during  the  middle  ages,  on  the  distinc- 
tion between  the  institutio  divhia  and  the  ifistitutlo 
ccclesiastica^  ecclesiastical  practice  could  not  disturb 
that  view.  But  after  the  Council  of  Trent  (1563)  had 
declared  that  bishops  succeeded  to  the  place  of  the 
apostles  and  were  superior  to  presbyters,  the  old  view 
became  suspicious,  and  the  institutio  divina  of  epis- 
copacy and  its  original  distinction  from  presbyteratus 
became  the  general  doctrine  of  the  Catholic  church 
which  the  English  Episcopalians  also  followed  in  this 
particular,  w^hile  the  other  Protestant  churches  re- 
turned to  the  most  ancient  doctrine." 


XVII.     Page  131,  Ch.  III.,  Part  II. 

CIIANOE     IN    THE    MUTUAL    RELATION    OF   MINISTERS 
AFTER  THE  TIME  OF    THE    APOSTLES. 

It  is  not  difficult  to  see  how  the  primitive  identity 
of  presbyters  and  bishops  may  have  become  modified, 
so  that  at  an  early  period  it  yielded  to  diversity  of 
orders,  or  ranks,  in  the  ministry. 

Among  the  elders,  that   is,  presbyters,  in  any  given 


APPENDIX.  215 

church,  some  one  might  have  become  distinguished  by 
his  knowledge,  or  practical  wisdom,  or  ability  in  pub- 
lic discourse,  or  regarded  with  special  respect  on  ac- 
count of  his  age,  and  been  treated  as  superior  to  his 
associates.  He  might  have  been  selected  as  a  tempo- 
rary head  of  the  eldership,  and  subsequently  as  a  per- 
manent head,  and  might  have  become  regarded  as 
eminently  the  teacher  and  guide  of  the  church,  as 
perhaps  a  chief  of  the  elders,  the  one  on  whom,  more 
than  on  the  others,  responsibility  rested.  The  transi- 
tion would  not  be  a  violent  one,  in  the  succeeding  de- 
cade of  years,  certainly,  not  in  the  next  generation,  to 
an  official  superiority  being  accorded  to  a  person  thus 
situated.  The  position,  regarded  at  first  as  simply 
that  of  a  chief  among  equals^  (primus  inter  pares,) 
might  easily  be  changed  into  that  of  a  permanent 
official  elevation  of  one  presbyter  over  the  others,  and 
of  his  being  denominated  the  bishop  and  alone  bear- 
ing this  name,  while  the  others  continued  to  be  known 
by  the  name  of  presbyters. 

This  change  in  the  mutual  relation  of  presbyters 
occurred,  doubtless,  very  soon  after  the  apostolic  age. 
Neander,  in  his  Planting  and  Training  of  the  Church, 
p.   92,  observes,  "  It    is  certain  that  every  church   [in 


2l6 


APPENDIX. 


the  apostolic  age]  was  governed  by  a  union  of  the 
elders,  or  overseers,  chosen  from  among  themselves  ; 
and  we  find  among  them  no  individual  distinguished 
above  the  rest  who  presided  as  a  primus  inter  pares ; 
though  probably. in  the  age  immediately  succeeding 
the  apostolic,  of  which  we  have  unfortunately  so  few 
authentic  memorials,  the  practice  was  introduced  to 
apply  to  such  a  person  the  name  of  ^maxonoq  [bishop] 
by  w^ay  of  distinction.  We  have  no  information  how 
the  office  of  president  in  the  deliberations  of  presbyters 
was  held  in  the  apostolic  age.*  Possibly  this  office 
was  held  in  rotation ;  or  the  order  of  seniority  might 
be  followed  ;  or  by  degrees  one  individual  by  his  per- 
sonal qualifications  might  gain  such  a  distinction. 
All  this,  in  the  absence  of  information,  must  be  left 
undetermined.  One  thing  is  certain  ;  that  the  person 
who  acted  as  president  was  not  yet  [in  the  apostolic 
age]  distinguished  by  any  particular  name."  \ 

*  Qiiery.     Was  such  an  office  at  that  time  necessary.? 

fNeander's  view  is  far  preferable  to  the  too  particular 
statement  of  Mosheim  in  his  Commentaries  on  the  affairs  of 
the  Christians,  vol.  I.  p.  169,  Murdock's  edition.  Mosheim 
says,  the  distinguishing  of  one  of  the  presbyters  in  a  church 
was  done  by  the  churches  themselves,  "  selecting  and  placing 


APPENDIX.  2  I  7 

In  his  Church  History,  vol.  i.  pp.  190,  192,  Nean- 
dcr  gives  also  the  follovvinj^  view:  "What  we  find 
existing  in  the  second  century  enables  us  to  infer,  re- 
specting the  preceding  times,  that  soon  after  the  apos- 
tolic age  the  standing  office  of  a  president  of  the 
presbytery  must  have  been  formed :  which  president, 
as  having  preeminently  the  oversight  over  all,  was  des- 
ignated by  the  special  name  of  ticiaxonog  [bishop]  and 
thus  distinguished  from  the  other  presbyters.  Thus 
the  name  came  at  length  to  be  applied  exclusively  to 
this  presbyter,  while  the  name  presbyter  continued  at 
first  to  be  common  to  all ;  for  the  bishops,  as  presiding 

at  the  head  of  the  council  of  presbyters,  some  one  man  of 
eminent  wisdom  and  prudence,  whose  peculiar  duty  it  should 
be  to  allot  to  his  colleagues  their  several  tasks,  and  by  his  ad- 
vice and  every  other  mode  of  assistance  to  prevent,  as  far  as 
in  him  lay,  the  interests  of  the  assembly,  over  which  he  was 
thus  appointed  to  preside,  from  experiencing  any  kind  of  det- 
riment or  injury."  Such  a  man,  he  thinks,  was  at  first  des- 
ij^^nated  by  the  title  angel  of  the  church  (Rev.  ii.  i)  over  which 
he  presided. 

But  it  may  well  be  asked,  on  what  ground  can  it  be  so  defi- 
nitely said  that  this  selection  was  made  by  the  church,  rather 
than    by  the    presbyters    themselves?  or,  that   the    primitive 
presbyters  needed  such  direction  and  supervision? 
19 


2l6  APPENDIX. 

presbyters,  had  no  official  character  other  than  that  of 
the  presbyters  generally.  They  were  only  priini  iiiter 
pares'''  [first  among  equals]. 

"  This  relation  of  the  bishops  to  the  presbyters  we 
may  observe  all  along  to  the  end  of  the  second  cen- 
tury. It  is  hence  that  Irenaeus  sometimes  uses  the 
names  bisJiop  and  presbyter  as  wholly  synonymous, 
and  at  others  distinguishes  the  bishops,  as  presiding 
officers,  from  the  presbyters.  Tertullian,  also,  calls 
the  presiding  offices  of  the  Christian  communities  by 
the  common  name  of  Seniores,  including  under  this 
title  both  bishops  and  presbyters ;  though,  elsewhere 
in  the  writings  of  this  father,  the  distinction  between 
bishops  and  presbyters  is  already  decidedly  drawn. 
In  many  respects,  Tertullian  may  be  considered  as 
standing  on  the  boundary  line  between  an  old  and  a 
new  era  in  the  Christian  church." 

The  original  equality,  in  point  of  office,  among  the 
elders  in  a  church  was  thus  disturbed  by  the  elevation 
of  one  of  their  number  to  a  primacy  in  their  body, 
who  became  the  bishop  of  that  church  and  of  his  fel- 
low-presbyters. "  A  primitive  bishojD,"  as  IMosheim 
observes  in  his  Commentaries  on  the  affairs  of  the 
Christians,  Vol.    i.  p.    174,  "was  none  other  than  the 


APPENDIX.  219 

chief,  or  principal,  minister  of  an  individual  church." 
He  performed  the  duties  which  are  now,  for  sub- 
stance, ordinarily  performed  by  a  pastor,  and  had 
associates  in  the  ministry  whose  services  he  could 
employ  as  circumstances  might  require. 

Different  as  was  a  primitive  bishop  from  a  modern 
diocesan,  in  that  he  was,  strictly  speaking,  the  princi- 
pal pastor  of  a  church,  it  requires  but  little  reflection 
to  see  how  his  position  could  ere  long  be  converted 
into,  or  prepare  the  way  for,  that  of  a  diocesan. 

Churches,  generally,  were  first  gathered  in  cities. 
When  they  became  prosperous  and,  through  their 
influence.  Christian  congregations  were  formed  in  the 
neighboring  villages  or  country,  these  smaller  congre- 
gations would  naturally  cherish  the  feeling  of  relation 
to  the  original  city-church,  to  its  elders  and  particu- 
larly to  its  chief  elder.  The  elders  who  ministered  to 
these  neighboring  congregations,  whether  sent  from  the 
city-church,  or  selected  from  among  themselves,  would 
also  cherish  an  attachment  to  the  original  church. 
The  dependence  of  these  congregations  on  that  church 
would  mingle  with  a  feeling  of  inferiority  and,  perhaps, 
subjection  to  it,  unless  instructions  on  this  point  were 
given.     Thus  the  oflicial  superintendence  of  the  chief 


220  APPENDIX. 

elder,  or  bishop,  of  the  city  church  would  become  ex- 
tended :  and,  gradually,  such  a  man,  in  a  very  distin- 
guished city,  might  come  to  be  regarded  with  a  dis- 
tinction corresponding  to  that  wdiich  his  city  held  in 
civil  respects.  Accordingly,  a  metropolitan  bishop 
might    be  held  in  higher    honor,   and   have  a  wider 

r 

ecclesiastical  oversight,  than  bishops  in  other  cities  of 
the  province. 

Besides  the  formation  of  new  churches  in  the  vicin- 
ity of  a  city,  a  similar  process  would  be  going  on  ir. 
the  city  itself ;  so  that  convenience,  or  necessity,  would 
require  several  places  of  worship  for  various  parts  of 
the  original  church.  Yet  these  parts,  generally, 
might  retain  a  connection  with  the  original  body,  as 
dependent  on  it,  or  preferring  to  be  under  its  oversight. 
Every  such  extension  of  ecclesiastical  limits  might  be 
an  equal  extension  of  the  bishop's  official  care. 

It  deserves,  also,  to  be  mentioned,  as  contributing 
to  the  respect  which  would  be  paid  to  a  distinguished 
bishop  in  a  church,  and  to  the  extension  of  his  ecclesi- 
astical influence,  that  in  the  vexations  and  persecu- 
tions to  which  the  early  Christians  were  exposed,  and 
in  which  the  inferior  magistrates  would  be  indisposed 
to   furnish  them    relief,    such  a   man  could,  at  times, 


APPENDIX.  ^231 

through  his  interest  with  some  high  civil  officers,  or 
through  pecuniary  means,  or  influence  over  compara- 
tively wealthy  Christians,  avert,  or  mitigate,  calami- 
ties. Such  circumstances,  conspiring  with  a  general 
tendency  of  thought  favorable  to  official  distinctions  — 
a  very  important  consideration  —  would  possess  much 
force. 

Then,  again,  as  promoting  clerical  distinctions,  the 
insidious  nature  of  ambition  and  of  worldly  policy, 
even  among  good  men,  must  not  be  forgotten. 

But  that  any  such  distinctions,  as  we  are  now  con- 
templating, existed  in  the  earliest  times,  or  are  the 
necessary  growth  of  apostolic  arrangements,  cannot 
be  made  to  appear.  They  were  the  growth  of  cir- 
cumstances operating  on  human  wisdom,  and  shaping 
human  views  of  expediency,  in  the  absence  of  author- 
itative guidance.  They  originated,  imperceptibl}-,  in 
slight  deviations  from  apostolic  precedents :  and  it  is, 
therefore,  not  wonderful  that  they  cannot  be  so  accu- 
rately traced  as  our  inquisitiveness  would  desire. 

Whether  official  distinctions  among  Christian  min- 
isters may  be  justified  on  the  ground  of  expediency,  or 
are  rendered  necessary  by  the  wide  spread  of  the  gos- 
pel, is  an  inquiry  which  would  be  variously  answered 
19* 


232  APPENDIX. 

according  to  diversity  of  mental  habits  and  associa- 
tions. It  is  evident,  however,  from  the  cautions  of 
our  Lord  to  his  primitive  ministers,  the  apostles,  that 
such  distinctions  among  his  sei-vants  are  unsuitable : 
and  the  experience  of  centuries,  since  his  ascension, 
supplies  strong  arguments  against  a  departure  from 
primitive  symplicity  and  equality. 


XVIII.     Pages  6-7,  Ch.  IV.,  Part  II. 

ADMINISTRATION     OF      BAPTISM      BY      OTHERS      THAN 
MINISTERS. 

While  regularity  might  require,  in  ordinary  circum- 
stances, the  limitation  of  this  service  to  ministers,  the 
deacons  of  a  church,  that  is,  the  elders  who  are  not 
pastors,  might,  when  occasion  should  require,  admin- 
ister baptism  without  violation  of  a  Scripture  rule,  or 
of  the  spirit  of  Christianity,  and  without  violating  the 
decorum  which  the  gospel  requires. 

When,  also,  an  exigency  arises,  as  in  the  case  of 
Roger  Williams,  the  founder  of  Rhode  Island,  and  in 
supposable   cases,  it  is  to  be  met  as  an  exigency^  and 


APPENDIX.  223 

disposed  of  in  a  wise  and  conscientious  manner.  In 
such  cases,  the  spirit  of  Christianity  should  dictate  the 
mode  of  proceeding.  While  a  prescribed  duty  is  to 
be  honored  in  its  observance,  the  questions  of  time, 
and  place,  and  agents,  are  subordinate.  Christianity 
is  not  a  system  of  ceremonies,  but  of  vital  principles. 
The  idea  of  official  sanctity,  or  of  the  necessity  that  a 
religious  act  be  performed  by  official  hands  in  order  to 
be  accejDtable  to  God  and  valuable  to  men,  has  no 
place  in  the  New  Testament.  If,  indeed,  baptism 
were  appointed  as  indispensable  to  the  remission  of 
sins,  then  great  care  would  be  requisite,  that  the  act 
should  be  performed  with  punctilious  exactness  by  a 
man  holding  a  certain  relative  position,  or  to  whom 
some  undefinable  influence  had  been  imparted,  that  it 
might  accompany  his  official  acts.  But,  as  baptism  is 
mainly  declaratory  on  the  part  of  the  person  baptized 
that  he  has  become  a  disciple  of  Christ,  and  that,  as 
such,  it  is  his  purpose  henceforth  to  lead  a  holy  life, 
the  whole  design  of  baptism,  sacred  as  the  rite  is,  is 
answered,  by  whomsoever  administered,  if  there  be  a 
just  sense  of  its  intent  on  the  part  of  him  who  is  bap- 
tized. 

The  case  of  Roger  Williams,  above  alluded  to,  is 


224  APPENDIX. 

Stated  In  the  following  manner  by  Prof.  Knowles  in 
his  Memoir  of  Mr.  Williams,  chapter  xiii.  "  Mr. 
Williams  was  a  clergyman  of  the  Church  of  England  : 
and  when  he  became  convinced  of  his  duty  to  be  bap- 
tized, there  was  no  other  minister  in  New  England 
who  would  have  baptized  him,  had  he  made  applica- 
tion. The  most  obvious  expedient  in  the  circum- 
stances was  adopted.  Mr.  Holliman  was  selected  to 
baptize  Mr.  Williams,  who  then  baptized  the  adminis- 
trator and  ten  others." 


XIX.     Page  143,  Ch.  IV.,  Part  II. 

ADMINISTRATION  OF  THE  LORD's  SUPPER,  WHETHER 
BELONGING  DISTINCTIVELY  TO  THE  OFFICE  OF  A 
MINISTER. 

If  it  be  asked,  whether  the  administration  of  the 
Lord's  supper  does  not,  as  much  as  that  of  baptism, 
belong  distinctively  to  the  office  of  a  minister,  it  may 
be  replied,  that  parity  of  reason,  particularly  in  refer- 
ence to  regularity,  would  seem  to  require  this.  Still, 
the  New  Testament  contains  nothinor  which  thus  lim- 


APPENDIX.  225 

its  it.  The  language  of  our  Lord's  commission  to  the 
apostles  is  noticeable :  He  directs  them  to  disciple 
and  baptize  the  nations,  and  to  teach  those  who  are 
baptized  to  observe  all  things  which  he  had  com- 
manded. The  Lord's  supper  was,  doubtless,  included 
among  the  things  which  the  disciples  should  be  taught 
to  observe  ;  but  no  intimation  is  given  in  regard  to  the 
persons  who  should  preside  on  such  occasions.  It 
may  then  be  questioned  whether  it  does  not  differ  in 
this  particular  from  baptism  ;  and  whether  it  is  not 
more  properly  viewed  as  of  the  nature  of  a  devout  so- 
cial meal  in  commemoration  of  Christ. 

Thi^  is,  perhaps,  to  be  explained  by  the  relation 
which  these  ordinances  hold,  respectively,  to  the  cause 
of  Christ.  Baptism  marks  the  entrance  of  a  person 
into  discipleship  to  Christ,  or  his  assuming  the  Chris- 
tian profession :  the  Lord's  supper  denotes  his  contin- 
ued adherence  to  Christ,  and  union  with  Christ's 
people.  According  to  notices  respecting  them  in  the 
New  Testament,  baptism  is  the  more  important  of  the 
two,  as  to  its  position,  being  a  transition  act :  just  as 
the  act  of  admission  to  citizenship,  on  the  part  of  an 
immigrant,  is  more  important  than  acts  of  continued 
citizenship,  as  being  the  transition  from  alienship  to 


226  APPENDIX. 

citizenship  and  the  indispensable  condition  to  the 
series  of  citizens'  acts.  It  is  not  surprising,  then,  that 
more  particular  mention  is  made,  in  the  New  Testa- 
ment, of  baptism  than  of  the  Lord's  supper.  And  if 
we  regard  the  Lord's  supper  as  a  social  Christian  or- 
dinance, designed,  not  so  much  for  presenting  divine 
truth  to  the  public,  as  for  benefiting  the  disciples  them- 
selves, maintaining  an  ever  fresh  remembrance  of 
their  Lord,  and  binding  themselves  together  as  joint 
partakers  of  faith  and  hope  in  Him,  and  if,  therefore, 
it  be  properly  regarded  as  a  comparatively  retired  ob- 
servance, there  would  be  no  incongruity  in  any  grave 
member  of  a  church  superintending  it  in  the  absence 
of  a  minister.  Still,  Christian  propriety  requires,  as  a 
general  rule,  that  it  be  superintended  by  a  minister, 
particularly  by  the  pastor.  According  to  Acts  xx.  ii, 
the  apostle  Paul,  after  preaching,  administered  the 
Lord's  supper.  It  would  seem  natural  that  he  should 
do  this,  as  holding  so  grave  and  affectionate  a  relation 
to  believers  in  Christ,  that  everywhere  Christian  feeling 
would  instinctively  place  him  at  the  head  of  the  table. 
It  is  worthy  of  inquiry,  whether  the  displacing  of 
baptism  from  its  proper  position,  as  the  public  avowal 
of  a  person.al  reception    of    the  gospel  —  a  result  of 


APPENDIX.  227 

infant-baptism  —  has  not  occasioned  an  injurious 
transfer  of  this  part  of  its  significance  to  the  Lord's 
supper,  and  invested  the  latter,  not  perhaps  with  too 
much,  but  with  disproportionate,  importance. 


N, 


INDEX 


Admission  into  the  Ministry, 
152,  153;  position  of  min- 
isters and  churches  in  ref- 
erence to,  155,  156. 

Alterations  in  the  particulars 
composing  a  true  idea  of  a 
church,  not  justifiable,  34. 

Ancient  churches  in  rural  dis- 
tricts opposed  by  the  dom- 
inant churches,  200. 

*'  Angel  of  the  church  "  Mos- 
heim's  opinion  of,  217. 

Apostles,  how  prepared  to  form 
churches  according  to  the 
mind  of  Christ,  40;  per- 
sonal knowledge  of  Christ 
necessary  to,  121 ;  divinely 
qualified,  41 ;  unassuming 
deportment    of,    42 ;    con- 


duct of,  in  reference  to 
church-business,  64;  with- 
out successors,  119;  Bar- 
nabas and  Paul,  117. 

Afostolic  era  partly  one  of 
formation,  iii. 

A;postolic   office,  design  of,  121. 

Assembly  at  Jerusale7n,  Acts 
XV.,  not  a  council  in  the 
modern  sense,  106. 

Associatiotts  of  churches,  how 
composed  and  for  what 
purposes,  104,  105  ;  nature 
and  sphere  of,  105. 


B. 


Balance  of  power  in  churches, 
70. 

Baptism,  fulness  of  its  mean- 
ing,   76;    to   be    adminis- 


(229) 


230 


INDEX. 


tered  ordinarily  by  minis- 
ters, 140;  of  Cornelius, 
142;  incases  of  exigency, 
143,  222 ;  relation  into 
which  it  puts  a  person, 
145  ;  not  a  church-act,  144; 
relation  which  a  church 
sustains  to  it,  145. 

Beza,  on  Acts  xiv.  23,  187. 

Bishoj).,  duties  of  a,  52. 

Bishopst  more  than  one  in  a 
church,  48,  155. 

Body  of  delegates  from 
churches,  99. 

c. 

Ceremonial  act,  at  the  admis- 
sion of  a  man  into  the 
ministry,  159. 

Christian  cJmrches  and  Jew- 
ish synagogues,  different 
as  to  independence,  94. 

Christian  Review,  30. 

Chrysostom,  213. 

Church,  not  synonymous  with 
denomination,  20;  three- 
fold signification  of  the 
original  word,  214;  ety- 
mology   of    the    original 


Greek  word,  21 ;  in  a  per- 
son's house,  22  ;  a  partic- 
ular assembly  of  believers 
in  Christ,  24;  the  follow- 
ers of  Christ,  viewed  col- 
ectively,  25 ;  description 
of  one,  29;  definition  of, 
29 ;  persons  composing 
one,  31 ;  competent  to  set 
apart  a  member  to  the 
work  of  the  ministry,  157. 

Churches,  discriminated  from 
other  bodies,  169,  172;  in 
the  apostles'  time,  models, 
48;  whether  led  by  a 
*'  guiding  senate,"  184 ;  the 
earliest  transacted  their 
own  business,  62;  inde- 
pendent, 92 ;  mutually  de- 
pendent as  well  as  inde- 
pendent, 96. 

Churches  and  Christ,  no  me- 
diating individual,  or  body, 
between,  95;  and  minis- 
ters, mutually  deferential, 
136. 

Church-business  by  apostles, 
an  apparent  instance  of, 
65 ;  performed  jointly  by 
members  and  officers,  70. 

Church-government  compared 


INDEX. 


231 


with   forms  of  civil   gov 
ernment,  1S7. 

Church-{ndcpendence,e2ix\y  de 
parture  from,  197. 

Church-membership.,  a  duty  of 
believers  in  Christ,  71. 

Church-officers^  origin  and  set 
tlement  of,  177. 

Church-offices^  power  of,  55  ; 
entitled  to  deference,  60; 
fraternal  spirit  of,  60. 

Church-organizatio7i^  germ  of, 
39 ;  historical  view  of,  42  ; 
full  growth  of,  46. 

Chicrch-poUty,  in  the  N.  T. 
very  simple,  4. 

Church-po'juer,  where  it  re- 
sides, 63,  69. 

Civil  distinctiojis  in  the  Ro- 
man empire,  as  influenc- 
ing church-arrangements, 
198. 

Cleme7ii  of  Rome,  211. 
Coleman's   Primitive   Church, 
i86. 

Commission  of  immoralities 
by  a  church-member,  84. 


Conjoint  action  of  churches 
and  ministers,  133. 

Continuance  of  a  church-mem- 
ber in  inconsistent  con- 
duct, 91. 

Co-operation  of  churches,  98. 

Council  of  Trejitj  214. 

D. 

Deacon,  office  of,  44;  duties 
of,  53;  qualifications  of  a, 
54;  the  original  word, 
variously  applied,  118. 

Deaconesses,  49. 

^^  Delivered  unto  Satan"  87. 

Diocesan   bishop,  219. 

Direct  relation  to  Christ,  both 
of  ministers  and  of  church- 
es, 135. 

Dissensions,  created  by  church- 
members,  90. 

Distinctions  among  ministers, 
the  growth  of  circumstan- 
ces, 131 ;  whether  justifi- 
able, 222. 

Duties  involved  in  the  mutual 
relation  of  churches,  97. 


232 


INDEX. 


E. 

Earliest  churches^  views  of  his- 
torians respecting,  191. 

Ecclesiastical  Couticils,  how 
composed  and  for  what 
purpose,  105;  sphere  of, 
106;  practical  hints  con- 
cerning, 203. 

Elders,  at  first  a  general  term, 
46 ;     afterwards     synony- 
mous    Avith     bishop,     47 
equivalent    to    the     term 
presbyters,  128. 

Elder  and  Bishop,  origin  of 
these  terms  and  shade  of 
difference  between  them, 
130. 

Entrance  i?ito  the  ministry, 
process  of,  152 ;  with  fel- 
lowship of  ministers,  155; 
with  fellowship  of  church- 
es, 157. 

Equality  of  rank  in  the  min- 
istry, 130. 

Eusebius,  124. 
Evangelists,  124. 

Evidence  of  Christian  char- 
acter, no  particular  mode 


of  seeking  originally  ob- 
served, 77. 
Exclusion  from  a  church,  81 ; 
nature  and    design  of,  81 ; 
cases  requiring,  83. 

G. 

General  church-organization, 

27. 
Genui7ieness    of  chicrches,   on 

what  dependent,  158. 
Gradations   in   the    Christian 

ministry,    not   recognized 

in  N.  T.,  116. 

H. 

Hacketfs,  Prof.  H.  B.,  Notes 
on  Acts,  1S6. 


I. 


Ignatius,  211. 

Imposition  of  hands,  159;  ob- 
jections against,  159;  idea 
conveyed  by,  160;  in- 
stances of,  161 ;  not  essen- 
tial to  ordination,  164;  de- 
sirable to  be  retained,  165. 

Institutio  divina  et  ecclesias- 
tica,  214. 


INDEX. 


233 


•     J- 

jfa/in's  Archreology,  174. 

yerome,  212. 

Jewish   synagogues^  94,  173. 

K. 

Ktiowles,    Prof.    Memoir     of 
Roger  Williams,  224. 


Laurie's  Mountain  Nestorians, 
130. 

Lay-Preachers,  126. 

Liniitatio7is  of  mutual  duties 
of  churches,  loi. 

Lord's  sujl>j>er,  224. 

M. 

\ 

Maintaining  of  ruinous  errors. 

86. 
Maintenance  of  ministers,  139 

Membership  in  a  church,  ad- 
mission to,  73 ;  simplicity 
of  requisites  for,  74;  orig- 
inal requisites  for,  still 
binding,  76;  termination 
of,  80. 


Metropolitan  bishop,  220. 

Ministers^  duties  to  be  per- 
formed bj  others,  if  occa- 
sion require,  135. 

Mosheim's  Commentaries,  and 
Church  History,  149. 

Mutual  aid  among  churches, 

98. 
Mutual       concession      among 

churches,  100. 

Mutual  relation  of  members 
of  a  church,  78;  duties 
springing  from  it,  79. 

Mutual  relation  of  ministers, 
change  in,  127. 

N. 

National  church,  28. 
Neander,    his     view    of     the 
Christian  ministry,  204. 

Nineteenth  article  of  the  Eng- 
lish Episcopal  Church,  30. 

No  office  intermediate  between 

bishop  and  deacon,  129. 
Normal  state  of  a  church,  12. 

o. 

Occasional  Ministers,  126. 


234 


INDEX. 


Original    mode     of     church- 
action  to  be  retained,  189. 

Overseer.,  etjTnological  mean- 
ing of  bishop,  47. 


Pastors  and  Teaclters,  125. 
Permanent  classes  of  ministers, 
125. 

Personal  offeiices  by  a  church- 
member,  83. 

PolycarP,  211. 

Preachers  directly  responsible 
to  Christ,  138. 

Presbyter  and  Bishoj>,  relation 
of  these  terms,  128. 

Presbytery,  148. 

Primus   inter  pares,  215,  216. 

Principle    of    union    between 

churches,  96. 
Prop/iets,'Nc\y  Testament,  122. 

R. 

Recognition  of  the  mutual  re- 
lationship of  churches,  97. 

Regularity,  observance  of,  140, 
143- 


Responsibility  of  churches,  139. 
Ruling  by  church  officers,  55. 
Ruling  elders,  57. 

s. 

Scriptural  idea  of  a  church, 
importance  of,  17. 

Services  properly  ministerial, 
137- 

Special  directions  on  church- 
organization,  not  given 
by  our  Lord,  37. 

Synods,  seats  of  church-pov^^er, 

194. 
Syriac  Scriptures,  130. 


Tertullian,  218. 

Testimonies  to  the  original 
identity  of  presbyters  and 
bishops,  211. 

Theodoret,  214. 

Theory  of  denominational  di- 
versity, 202. 

u. 

Union  with  a  church,  purposes 
of,  33  ;  voluntary,  34. 


INDEX. 


235 


Universal  churchy  28. 

U7iivorthy  members  in  the  ear- 
liest churches,  196. 

V. 

Value    of    religious    services, 
whence  it  comes,  134. 

Vitringa^  174. 


w. 

Well-proportioned  regard  to 
principles,  103. 

Williams^  Roger,  223. 

Women,  prophetic  gift  pos- 
sessed by,  207 ;  participa- 
tion in  exercises  of  pub- 
lic wor§Jiip  by,  208. 


.J^lf^f 


^ 


DATE  DUE 

' 

•St* 

! 

CAVLORD 

PniNTrO  IN  U    S    A 

'■^1 


